


Bits and Bobs from Deduction in Shadows

by GremlinSR



Series: A Holmes in Konoha [2]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Cats as weapons, Cute Kids, Drama, F/M, Family Fluff, First Dates, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Imprisonment, Injury, M/M, Second Chances, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2018-05-11
Packaged: 2019-02-17 14:55:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13079283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GremlinSR/pseuds/GremlinSR
Summary: One shots and behind the scenes takes from Deduction in Shadows. Non-linear, unconnected chapters. I'd suggest reading Deduction in Shadows first to avoid confusion. :)





	1. Ensui and Kakashi's First Date

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I, for one, was disappointed when I couldn't fit Ensui and Kakashi's first date into the main story, so, I decided to give it to y'all in one-shot form! 
> 
> This takes place in chapter 8, and contains smut. :)

Ensui stared down at the bouquet of flowers that Inoichi had assured him between snickers was perfect for a first date, and wondered when his life had become something that was controlled by a twelve year old. Personally, he blamed Yoshino - she had obviously taught Mayu whatever voodoo she used to terrorize the people around her into following her whims.

Right, he was a shinobi with a fierce reputation, the brother of the head of the Nara clan. Ensui had faced every type of bad guy. He'd come out of situations where others would have faltered alive and unscathed.

He could handle a date with Hatake Kakashi. Hell, they'd been sleeping together for months, going out to dinner was not a big deal. Even if Ensui hadn't been on a real date for over five years, and he'd been tricked into that one by Yoshino. After Eiji died, he had just figured he wouldn't be finding love again - hadn't  _wanted_ to, and had been perfectly content sticking to one night stands and friends with benefits scenarios.

But Kakashi...he didn't know exactly what it was about the younger man that drew him in, but he had to admit he was interested in more than casual sex with him. He just hadn't been sure what to do about it, since the copy nin was legendarily terrible at accepting affection. Apparently Mayu hadn't had any compunctions over pushing him along, however, and had railroaded over the both of them.

So here Ensui was, forcing himself to walk with the same dangerous amble he always did despite his nerves. With flowers. In a pair of nicely-tailored black pants and a Nara green button up shirt. His hair was down and he'd taken extra care with his eyeliner. He hadn't missed the appreciative looks on his way over. He still had it, apparently.

Promising himself all sorts of revenge when Mayu and Shikamaru finally started dating - something that would probably happen soon judging by the pre-teen drama they were slinging around like mud - he lifted his hand and knocked on the door. He heard the shuffling of feet a moment later, and when the door opened he allowed himself a moment to just take in the man in front of him.

Kakashi also apparently had no defense against Mayu's bossiness, because he was wearing a pair of sinfully tight black pants and a dark grey long-sleeved shirt with an attached mask covering his neck and half his face. The shirt hugged his well-muscled frame and Ensui swallowed dryly, aware that he was getting his own once over.

"Damn, sweetheart," Ensui rumbled, and Kakashi's frame shuddered a bit at the sound of his deep voice. "Mayu mighta had a point, telling us to dress up."

Kakashi leaned nonchalantly against the doorframe, arms crossed, and pointedly raked his eyes over Ensui's frame. "Mmm-hmm," he said, then gestured at the bouquet in his hand. Inoichi had thrown in a vase for free, since he had doubted that the copy nin would have one lying about his place.

"Those must be the flowers Mayu-chan insisted on," he said, then stepped back a little awkwardly to let Ensui in.

"They are."

Ensui followed Kakashi to the kitchen, where he placed the flowers on Kakashi's barely-big-enough-for-two kitchen table. For a moment they both just stared at them, looking incredibly out of place in the bachelor pad. Finally, Ensui cleared his throat.

"Well, the reservations are for seven, and it's almost seven, so..." he trailed off awkwardly and once again cursed Mayu for putting him in this position when Kakashi chuckled.

"Or," the man said, taking a step towards Ensui, "we could stay in."

Ensui hummed as Kakashi brought a hand up and buried it in his hair before pulling down his mask and slotting their lips together. He groaned and Kakashi took it as an invitation to slip his tongue into his mouth.

A few minutes later Ensui managed to pull his head back and disengage their lips even as his hands, which had migrated down to Kakashi's ass, pulled their groins together. They both moaned and Ensui rested his forehead on Kakashi's shoulder.

"We...we can't skip," he panted as Kakashi raked his fingernails over his scalp and arched against him.

"Why not," tKakashi said in a low purr, and Ensui would never admit that he whimpered.

"Mayu will be on the war path if she thinks I'm taking advantage of you," he said, and cursed as Kakashi nibbled on his ear.

"What if I want you to take advantage of me?" he whispered, and Ensui shuddered but gathered his resolve and took a step back.

Kakashi pouted and Ensui swayed forward a bit in interest, but then forced himself into stillness. "I can do that, baby, but  _after_ our date."

"I know Mayu can be a pain, but are you really  _that_ worried about her revenge schemes?" Kakashi finally said, and pouted harder.

Ensui sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "No," he admitted. "I just." He paused, knowing it was time to fess up. "I  _want_ to go on a date with you."

Kakashi stiffened and stared at Ensui in obvious shock. Finally, he cleared his throat and lifted the mask, but not before Ensui caught sight of the light blush on his cheeks.

"You do," he finally said, flatly disbelieving, and Ensui rolled his eyes. Kami save him from this man.

"Kakashi, when I'm in town, I'm in your bed, or you're in mine. I like talking to you, I like looking at you, I don't even sniff in anybody else's direction, and if somebody looks in yours I have to hold myself back from ripping off their limbs. Yes, I want to go on a date with you. So could we..." he motioned towards the door.

For a moment he thought Kakashi was going to kick him and his flowers out, he was so stiff. Then he was relaxing into his usual sanguineness, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Maa, Ensui, you're so romantic. Fine, fine, if you want to buy me an expensive dinner, I won't complain."

Ensui rolled his eyes, not fooled. Kakashi was probably a mix of pleased and terrified at the moment. Ensui had a feeling he'd spend the next few weeks of his off time chasing the spooked man all over Konoha. Dammit, Mayu. He'd had a plan. One that involved subtly intertwining himself into the Copy Nin's life until one day Kakashi would wake up and they'd be married. Okay, it sounded a little creepy when he put it like that...

They exited Kakashi's building together, shoulders brushing as they made their way towards the restaurant. Ensui had only eaten there once, when Shikaku and Yoshino had taken him to celebrate his promotion to ANBU captain years ago. Considering the trouble the owner had to go through to get fish in a mostly landlocked country that was still fresh (it involved expensive seals and hiring chunin teams), it was extremely costly.

Of course Ensui could afford it no problem, but he hoped it didn't freak out his companion too much. At least the menus didn't have prices on them. They entered the dimly lit restaurant and Ensui took in the well dressed men and women with an internal sigh.

"Ensui," Akimichi Fara came out to greet him, a smile on her wrinkled face. "When Juko told me you had stopped by to reserve a corner table for two, I didn't believe him. But, here you are." Ensui eyed the elderly woman but knew better than to piss Chouza off by insulting his cousin.

"Fara-san, hello," he said gruffly. "Thanks for reserving the table last minute. This is my date, Hatake Kakashi." The old gossip's eyes sharpened and Ensui almost groaned when he realized the whole village would know about this by the end of the week. Of course, half of them probably already knew since his brother told Inoichi, who was a bigger gossip than...well...anyone else Ensui knew.

After some fussing Fara waved goodbye as she went back into the kitchen and Ensui and Kakashi were led to a quiet corner booth. The hostess brought them water, and for a moment an awkward silence fell over the table.

"Well. Fara-san seems...terrifying." Kakashi said, and just like that Ensui was laughing.

"Aa. She's Chouza's second cousin or something. She used to look in on us when we were younger and our parents were on missions. Once she caught Shikaku neckin' with Yoshino. Man, I will never forget that lecture." He raised his voice an octave, though kept it at a low volume, not wanting to chance the woman actually hearing him. "Nara Shikaku, I thought you were better than this. Not even a betrothal and you've got your hand up poor Yoshino's skirt. What would her grandmother say? I'd tell you what she'd say - nothin'! She'd take one of those daggers of hers and ram it down your throat, flames and all! It only seems right that as her friend I do the honors!"

Ensui dropped the impression and grinned at a chuckling Kakashi. "Two days later they were announcing their engagement, and I swear he flinches every time that woman makes a move towards her weapon pouch in his presence."

Kakashi actually broke into rich laughter at that, and from there they sank easily into conversation. They ordered when their waitress came by, neither one missing the interested looks she sent their way. Kakashi barely glanced at her despite her pretty face and curvy body and Ensui couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Ensui ordered a bottle of sake and they both sipped casually on it. Their lobster came and Kakashi lifted his hitai-ate to put an illusion over their table, then lowered his mask. Ensui found his attention completely diverted by the man's long, dexterous fingers as he cracked through the shell and pulled the meat out, bringing it to his mouth and sucking the juices from his fingers.

From his heated expression, he knew exactly what it was doing to Ensui, who couldn't resist scooting around the curve of the seat and leaning over to lick into his mouth.

"How good's that illusion?" he mumbled before moving his lips to Kakashi's neck and sucking on the soft skin behind his ear.

His breath hitched and Ensui lapped at the red mark he'd left. "Ah - not good enough for what you have in mind," Kakashi said in a strained voice, and Ensui pulled back with a sigh.

"I suppose we shouldn't waste good seafood," he said, then reached over and grabbed a hunk of meat from inside the shell, smirking as he met Kakashi's dilated eyes. He dipped it into the butter before bringing it to Kakashi's lips. He opened them slowly and leaned forward, closing them around Ensui's fingers, who had to hold back a moan when he felt a tongue flick over them before Kakashi pulled back with an obscene pop.

Ensui stared at him, dazed, before shaking his head ruefully and reaching over to pull his own plate in front of him. "I don't think my brother would be too impressed if I got arrested for public indecency. Fara would definitely not be impressed," he said, and Kakashi laughed. Ensui watched the way his uncovered eye scrunched with it, and resisted the urge to run his thumb over the dimple that was revealed on his right cheek.

"How've missions been goin' with your team?" He finally said, and Kakashi hummed.

"Eh, fine. No unexpected A-or-S-ranked threats, though Naruto did have a run-in with some poison ivy," he said, and Ensui rumbled out another laugh.

"I heard Mayu's been a handful from her dad. He said some shit about her coming into her own as a woman," he said, and raised an eyebrow as Kakashi looked a little haunted. Then, he glanced over to Ensui, and his eye glinted in a way that usually meant something fun if they were in bed, and something not so fun if they weren't.

"I think he's referring to the fact that Mayu had her first menstrual cycle," Kakashi said just as Ensui took a bracing drink of sake. He choked on it and spent a few minutes coughing while Kakashi smirked at him.

"What the hell, why would you tell me that? How do  _you_ know that?" he finally said when he could breathe again.

"As her sensei I have access to her medical records, and it's my responsibility to follow up when my students seem under the weather," Kakashi said primly, and Ensui huffed out a laugh.

"You mean you thought she was actually ill, went and snooped, and then were traumatized by what you found. You know what they say about curiosity and the cat, Kakashi..."

Kakashi just sniffed. "Honestly, I was afraid she'd picked up some parasite that ate at her brain and destroyed all reasoning skills," he muttered, and Ensui threw back his head and laughed, vaguely wondering when the last time was that he laughed this much in one sitting. A long, long time ago.

"She was that bad, huh?"

"She told me off and didn't talk to me for a  _full day_ because I was a tiny bit late for practice," he grumbled.

"Uh huh," Ensui said. "By a tiny bit late you mean..."

Kakashi ignored him in favor of a bite of lobster, and Ensui couldn't help but smile at him fondly. The other man glanced up and stilled when he saw his expression. Then, he lifted his lips in a half smile that had Ensui clearing his throat and raising his hand to catch their waitress' attention.

They got their dessert to go, both of them apparently done with waiting, especially since Kakashi spent the whole five minutes they spent waiting on the check with his long, ridiculous fingers running up and down the inner seam of Ensui's pants high up on his thigh.

Ensui forced himself to saunter out after paying the ridiculously high bill, one hand holding their chocolate cake and the other on Kakashi's lower back. He smirked at a man he caught running his eyes over his lover's form as they passed him on the way out, conveying  _yeah, I'm going home with him and you're not._ Because he was mature that way.

Finally they were walking through Kakashi's door. Ensui forced himself to remove his shoes and follow him into the kitchen.

Once he set down the dessert, however, he was in the younger man's space, crowding him up against the counter and tugging down on his mask. Kakashi's fingers were already in his hair and their lips met almost violently, tongues twining together as Ensui pushed their hips together and Kakashi arched against him.

"Oh fuck, I've wanted you all night," Ensui growled, pulling back long enough to tug the shirt over Kakashi's head, taking the hitai-ate with it and groaning as he revealed his lanky, pale torso.

He immediately bent over and latched his mouth onto a nipple, making Kakashi's hands tighten almost painfully in Ensui's hair in response.

He lapped and sucked at it until Kakashi was tugging at him, over sensitive, and then he moved to the other and repeated the process. "Fuck, just, get up here," Kakashi finally growled, and Ensui obeyed, taking in his flushed cheeks and swirling red eye before leaning forward for another frantic kiss.

Kakashi's hands were working on the buttons to his shirt, and after a few moments he pushed it off Ensui's shoulders, humming in approval when bare skin met bare skin. Ensui arched into Kakashi's touch as he ran his hands lightly up his back. He then slid them forward over Ensui's rib cage, causing the man to shiver as goosebumps broke out over his skin, and brought them up to his shoulders.

Ensui grunted in protest when Kakashi used the leverage to push him back a step, but quieted right down when Kakashi dropped to his knees in front of him.

Fingers that were still graceful despite their calluses and scars made quick work of his belt and button, and the Nara couldn't help but press forward when he brushed against his now-prominent erection when he pulled the zipper down.

He found himself holding his breath in anticipation as Kakashi pushed his pants down over his hips - "No underwear, naughty" - and wrapped his fingers around Ensui's length.

Pleasure zinged up his spine as he pumped it twice, languidly. Ensui's thoughts stuttered to a halt as Kakashi looked up at him with his mismatched eyes from under thick lashes, and slowly leaned forward to take him into his mouth, lips carefully covering his sharp fangs.

"Oh, fuck," he breathed as wet heat engulfed him. "You're so good at that, baby."

Kakashi hummed and Ensui's head dropped back for a moment at the feeling of the vibrations on his cock. He quickly looked back down, though, not wanting to miss the sight of those lips around him and the messy fall of hair bobbing up and down.

After only a few minutes he felt his balls begin to tighten and buried his hands in Kakashi's hair to gently pull him off, swallowing at the popping noise that resulted when he released his erection and leaned back on his heels. Ensui helped tug him to his feet, their lips coming together easily, and couldn't help but take a moment to appreciate that they were of a similar height.

He let his pants fall to the floor, stepping out of them while he reached for Kakashi's belt. A moment later he was swearing as he struggled to get the man out of his ridiculously tight pants.

"What the fuck," he finally growled, and Kakashi chuckled against his lips.

"Let me," he purred, then stepped back and all of the moisture in Ensui's mouth disappeared as he watched Kakashi slowly peel himself out the pants, eyes heated and movements languourous.

"Those might be my favorite pants ever." He finally managed and Kakashi straightened slowly, giving Ensui time to take in the long lines of his body. He then backed up until he bumped into the counter and Ensui prowled after him, crowding up against him.

Kakashi fisted Ensui's hair and roughly pulled him in for a messy kiss. Ensui placed his his hands on the counter on either side of Kakashi's hips, and rolled his body against the other man's, grunting as their erections rubbed against the junction between thigh and hip.

Ensui turned his attention to Kakashi's long pale neck, nipping and sucking at the skin, unconcerned with leaving a mark as it would all be covered by his lover's mask the next day anyway. His dick twitched at the thought that he'd be the only one who knew exactly what was hiding under the thin material.

"Here," Kakashi said in a rough voice, and shoved something into Ensui's hand. He pulled back to study the small tube of lube, and raised his eyebrow at a smirking Kakashi.

"Hmm, and where were you keeping this, sweetheart," he asked as he stepped back and spun Kakashi around to face the counter, running his hand down his arched back to rest lightly on his ass.

"Mmm, sorry, secret family technique," Kakashi said, then moaned as Ensui traced now-slicked fingers over his entrance.

The next few minutes were filled with the sounds of his quiet moans as Ensui slipped in first one then two fingers, twisting them and pushing down on Kakashi's prostate before scissoring them open. His cock twitched at how tight and warm the man was around his fingers, and he leaned forward to lick a stripe up Kakashi's spine.

He shivered, and then reached back to grab Ensui's wrist and pull his fingers free before he spun and wrapped his arms around his neck. They kissed deeply, thrusting against each other desperately, before Ensui grabbed his thighs and lifted. Kakashi wrapped his legs around his hips and Ensui set him on the edge of the counter.

"I'm not - we need to prep you more -" he said a little desperately as Kakashi swiped the tube of lube from the counter and messily squeezed it onto Ensui's erection before grabbing it and running his palm over the length and around the head to spread the slick over his length.

He leaned forward and bit Ensui's earlobe before growling, "No. I want to feel you," into his ear.

"Shit. Okay," he said, and took a shuddering breath to gain control before spreading Kakashi's thighs and tugging him closer to the edge of the counter, the other man easily balancing in the precarious position, head flung back and back arched as Ensui slowly breached him.

"Shit. Shit, that's so tight," he groaned as he bottomed out, stilling to give Kakashi a chance to adjust. The man had other ideas, though, and he planted his hands on either side of his hips on the counter, then wrapped his legs around Ensui, digging his heels into the small of his back, before lifting an inch or so and slamming back down. Ensui grunted, then grabbed onto Kakashi's hips before he could do it again.

"Are you sure," he said in a strained voice. Kakashi reached up and wrapped his arms around Ensui's neck.

"Ensui," he growled. "You need to fuck me right fucking now."

The Nara chuckled. "Alright sweetheart. Since you asked so nicely." He then stood straight, lifting Kakashi with him easily, and spun around, taking a few steps until he could push the other man's weight against the wall on the other side of the small kitchen. Kakashi moaned and tipped his head back as the change of position sat him down more firmly on Ensui's erection, and Ensui latched his teeth into the spot where neck met shoulder. Then, using a firm grip on his hips to keep him in place, he pulled back and rammed forward into his lover.

Pleasure made his knees go weak and he found himself doing it again and again, no longer able to hold back. If the way Kakashi was groaning his name and clawing at his back was any indication, the other man didn't mind. He'd looked so incredibly sexy that evening, with those ridiculous pants and the shirt that had clung to his abs and arms, that Ensui's patience had been worn thin.

"You feel good, you feel so fucking good," he said, and pulled himself together enough to pull Kakashi's hips forward and down so he could hit him at the perfect angle. He was rewarded with a long moan of pleasure, so he did it again. And again.

Soon their skin was slick with sweat and Ensui's vision was whiting out with pleasure as he moved against his lover with powerful thrusts. Ensui was talkative during sex, he knew that, but he was in fine form that night as he praised and swore and said filthy things into Kakashi's ear that had the other man writhing and struggling against him for more friction.

Ensui just pushed him more firmly against the wall, not wanting to cede control, and almost purred with gratification when Kakashi gave in, spreading his thighs as far as he could in their current position and burying his hands in Ensui's hair.

Ensui felt his orgasm racing towards him, and licked a long stripe from collarbone to ear before saying, "Touch yourself, baby."

Kakashi released his grip on his hair with one hand to wriggle it between their bodies and grab onto his erection, pumping in counterpoint to Ensui's thrusts. It wasn't long before the silver-haired man was flinging his head back and letting out a low moan as he came between them.

Ensui stiffened as Kakashi tightened around him and gave two more powerful thrusts before he released with a grunt into the other man. They slid down the wall and collapsed into a sweaty, sated heap on the floor. A few minutes later, after they'd caught their breath, Kakashi hummed thoughtfully.

"I think we did it wrong," he said as Ensui lazily pressed kisses into his neck, admiring the marks he'd left.

"Hmm, I'm pretty sure everything about that was right," he drawled.

"I meant the date," Kakashi said sardonically, and Ensui tensed.

"Oh?" he kept his voice calm, but knew that Kakashi could sense his apprehension, pressed together as they were. Had he forgotten something that was required for a first date?

"Aa. I'm pretty sure I wasn't supposed to put out on the first date," he mused. Ensui relaxed and let out a chuckle.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to practice, then," he said casually, even as his stomach tightened in nerves. Great, he had butterflies now. What was he, a damned teenager?

Kakashi went silent for a moment and Ensui met his gaze so he would know he meant it.

"Hmm, I guess you're right," Kakashi said after a moment, and Ensui smirked, allowing himself to feel a little smug over the small victory.

"You know," Kakashi said later as he lounged back against Ensui in the warm bath, "I suppose that getting assigned a genin team hasn't been  _all_ bad."

Ensui chuckled into his shoulder and ran a hand up his side. "I think it's best that you don't tell Mayu that the only perk to being her sensei is that you seduced her nii-san."

Kakashi thought about that for a moment, before shuddering. "Maa, yeah, I think I'll keep that to myself. Death by giant spider isn't how I want to go out."

"Hmm," Ensui agreed, before allowing his hand to wander downwards. "Now, about that practice we discussed..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do we think? Good first date? Meant to be?


	2. On a Lack of Respect

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shikaku's reputation takes a hit.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just a cute little idea I had to write a scene originally written from Mayu's POV in Shikaku's POV instead. 
> 
> The scene is from the very beginning of Chapter 3 of Deduction in Shadows, if you want to read the original. This continues on for a few frames after Mayu exits stage left. :)

Shikaku hummed as the three man cell of jounin in front him, dirty and bedraggled from the escort mission they'd just completed, finished their report.

"The intel was definitely bad, but it wasn't anything we couldn't handle," Ryo, the newest member of the team that specialized in bodyguarding, said firmly.

"Aa, it seems as though it all worked out in the end. Submit your written report by -" he was cut off as the sound of yowling cats and Shouta's now-familiar screeching reached his ears.

"What -" Yuuto, the veteran of the team, started to say, and they all turned as the door to Shikaku's office opened and his adoptive daughter darted through, tugging a complaisant Shikamaru behind her. She quickly shut the door, midnight blue braid swinging with the movement, and turned charcoal grey eyes to take in the room.

Mayu must have decided that the three bloody and dirty jounin giving her looks ranging from baffled to amused were unimportant, because she simply pulled his brow-beaten son over to stand in front of his desk.

He sighed at her cheerful expression and large eyes, and was about to reprimand her for bursting into his office without knocking, and whatever it was she'd done to Shouta, when she spoke.

"Hi papa," she said, and smiled brightly at him. All thoughts of admonishing her fled at how adorable she was as she rocked back on her heels and stared at him expectantly. He ignored Shikamaru's huff at his obvious caving to her wiles. Like he had room to judge.

"Mayu-chan. You wouldn't have anything to do with the terrified screaming in the halls?" he finally settled on, knowing he sounded more charmed than annoyed.

Mayu widened her eyes - so cute - before blatantly lying to him. "Nope! Poor Shouta seems to have gained some scary admirers, so we thought we'd just let ourselves in while he dealt with that."

Shikaku knew he was fighting a losing battle as he tried not to smile.  _It's good for Shouta, keeps him on his toes,_ he half-heartedly told himself as an excuse for not pursuing the matter further. In an attempt to look at least somewhat in control in front of his now-smirking subordinates, he tried valiantly for a stern attitude as he said, "Mayu-chan, Shikamaru-kun, I'm in the middle of a very important meeting. What do you need?"

Once again all hope of regaining control of the situation and salvaging his reputation as the apathetic and terrifying Jounin Commander fled as she scuffed a toe across the floorboards and hunched her shoulders. "Weeeell, Shikamaru and I wanted to see if you would go out to lunch with us. After all, we're starting at the Academy tomorrow, so we won't get a chance to take lunch with you very often after this."

He sighed and pointedly didn't look at the team of Konoha shinobi that were witness to him being steamrolled by a seven year old with big eyes, though he saw Ryo's shoulders shaking in amusement from the edge of his vision. "Fine, fine, I'll take you out to lunch. Go wait in Shouta's office for me - I'll be done in a few minutes."

Her eyes darted around and she laughed nervously. "Uh. We'll wait for you in front of the administration building. It's nice out, no need to crowd Shouta-san."

"Uh-huh," Shikaku said, well aware of how much Shouta disliked his ward - not without reason - and that she avoided actually being in his presence as much as possible. "Well, then, off you go, I'll see you in a few minutes."

His heart clenched again as she beamed at him and pulled Shikamaru to the door, glancing furtively through after opening it a crack to make sure Shouta hadn't returned before flinging it wide and dragging his protesting son through as fast as she could.

"Close the door!" he yelled, then slumped when she ignored him. He narrowed his eyes at his now-outright-snickering subordinates.

"Maa, Shikaku-sama, I'd heard you had a soft spot for your ward, but I didn't realize quite how soft," Yuuto said around a smirk.

"Whatever," he grumbled, aware that his reputation had just taken a major hit. "Get out of here - I want your written reports by the end of the day tomorrow."

They bowed before turning and walking towards the still-open door, where a gasping and bleeding Shouta could now be seen collapsing over his desk. They were almost out of the office when Yuuta stopped and spun around.

"Oh, Shikaku-sama, I almost forgot," he looked up warily at the shit-eating grin on the man's face, and slumped when he widened his eyes and bowed his shoulders, wringing his hands and scuffing his sandal on the wood in a clear mimicry of Mayu's earlier body language.

He somehow managed to look sweet, despite his scars and dirty clothes, as he raised his voice an octave and said, "Um, my sister's getting married next week, and I was wondering, since, you know, she'll only get married once, if I could have the time off? Pleeeease, Shikaku-sama?"

The man ducked as Shikaku threw his water bottle at his head. "Just get out of here," he grumbled at the now laughing team. "And shut the door behind you."

Once they were gone, he sighed and reached for the form that would give his subordinate the time off he requested.

"No respect," he sulked as he squared his shoulders and went to calm down his uppity assistant.


	3. How Mayu Learned to Read the Warning Label

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A cracky AU of DiS in which Ensui forgot to warn Mayu about Serval Sake, Mayu never really learned to deal with that whole 'jealousy' thing, and Shikaku's and Shikamaru's lives are just really, really hard sometimes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so, so cracky. Like I almost didn't post it because it's that ridiculous. 
> 
> I guess if this was something that actually happened in the DiS-verse Mayu would probably be around sixteen?

Yoshino slammed the bottle down - now only three quarters full - and wiped the back of her hand across her lips. "Stupid Shikaku," she slurred. "Avoiding our problemsh by staying in his offish all the time." She gave a little hiccup, then a giggle. "Like anyone believes the he's actually - actually -" another swig from the bottle - " _working_. Pah. Lazy Nara men."

"Yeah!" Added Mayu. "And stupid Shikama-Shikana-ugh why do they have such hard namesh?"

"Right! Like they all need 'Shika' in front of their names. I mean, we  _get it_ , you like deer. How about we change it up a bit!" Yoshino said.

"Exactly," Mayu said holding her finger into the air as though Yoshino had just made an excellent point. "Stupid 'Maru, all-" she lowered her voice in into a low tone that she thought was quite a good impression of Shikamaru, thank you very much, "of coursh I love you, I've always loved you! Even when I went and spent three weeks escorting a beautiful redheaded Kuri kunoshi, kunaich...girl ninja...around Konoha! Did I not mention it wasn't all work related? Why would you ever doubt my serioush love for you?" By the end of her speech, Mayu was glaring at the white bottle in front of her. A moment later, her expression brightened. "Hey, this stuff is pretty good Anzu!"

The large cat, seated primly on the floor with half his bottle gone, let out a little giggle, though he would forever deny it later. "It is! No wonder the elders hide it away. But they didn't acc-accounan- plan for me to have such a sneaky summoner to teach me breaking and entering! Kukukukuku."

"Wait." Yoshino said, holding up a wobbling hand. "You - you  _stole_ this sake from the elders of the Serval clan?"

"I - yesh?" Anzu replied, suddenly looking as nervous as a hundred and twenty pound feline could.

"That's..." Yoshino looked thoughtful for a moment. "That is  _amazing_." Both her and Mayu burst into giggles as Anzu preened, only swaying a bit.

"Yeah, they're always going on and on about how strong it ish and that you should only have a..."  _hiccup_ "a bit to start with. Pah! I'm a warrior! I can hold my...my..." his rant cut off into mumbles, though Yoshino and Mayu continued nodding along with him.

"Hey...hey you guys!" Mayu said after a few moments punctuated by them sipping at their respective bottles of sake. "You wanna see something cool?"

Thirty minutes later found Mayu, Yoshino, and Anzu twirling around the room, the music machine Mayu had purchased the week before on a whim thumping in the background with beats that Mayu had been working on recreating from Before for the last month.

"No, no, no," she said, putting her hand on Yoshino's arm to get her to stop her dancing and singing. "You need...this is the part where we do the bridge, see." She adjusted the headset-microphone, and wobbled over to the music machine to rewind by a minute. "Okay, try again!"

Two hours later, and only a quarter of the sake was left in each of their open bottles. "Wow," Yoshino said from their sweaty heap in the middle of the room. "Your songs are so - so -"

"Loud?"

"Revolutionary!" Yoshino said. Suddenly re-energized (she  _loved_ this Serval Sake, seriously, she had to find out how to get more) she leapt to her feet. "We should - we need to share!"

Mayu looked up from where she was swaying in place, Anzu collapsed against her side. "Share?"

"Yes! Come on!" Yoshino grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. "We...we shouldn't sit here in the house getting drunk over a couple of idiots," Yoshino said, conveniently forgetting for a moment that she was married to one and had birthed and raised the other of said idiots, "we should be out contri-bu-ting to the commuuunity!" She exclaimed, putting a fist into the air.

"Yes! Let's forget about those jerks and  _contribute_." Mayu said, a determined glint in her eye.

"Ah, I think we've just entered the stage of Energy!" Anzu said, earning two confused looks before the women just shrugged. Apparently Anzu got a little nonsensical when he was drunk.

"Er...how are we going to contribute exactly?" Mayu asked, rubbing the back of her neck.

"First, we must dress to impress," Yoshino said in such a serious voice that Mayu found herself solemnly nodding along.

Two hours later, the sun had gone down, and Yoshino and Mayu were both done up in full Hashino regalia, the long ends of their coats fluttering behind them. Anzu walked in a weaving gate ahead of them, singing a translated version of 'Stand by Me' that Mayu had taught them while Yoshino was curling her hair and braiding the Hashino ribbons into it.

Yoshino was carrying the music machine with apparent ease, humming along in harmony with the large cat. Mayu was walking next to her, headsets in one hand, and the last bottle of sake, which they agreed to share amongst them, in the other. A pleasant warmth hummed under her skin, giving her giddy energy for what was ahead. The swimming in her head from earlier had left, instead leaving a sharp focus in place. They were going to bring Konoha  _music_. She twirled in happiness at the thought, making Yoshino giggle and a few Nara passing into the compound as their odd tableau left give them strange, almost concerned looks.

"Do you think people will like us?" Mayu asked worriedly, taking a swig from the bottle before clutching it to her chest.

"Oh darling!" Yoshino said, grabbing the sake from her hand and taking a large swig from it. "They'll  _love us_ ," she said darkly, the  _or else_ implied.

"Yeah!" Mayu said. "Our music is  _superior_ ," she proclaimed, proud of her lack of slurring. She tripped over nothing and sprawled on the sidewalk.

"Oops," she said as Yoshino broke into giggles behind her.

Yoshino stumbled over to her, and grabbed her hand in an attempt to help her up off the ground.

"Come on, darling, we don't have time to be laying arou-oomph," she cut off as she began to lose her balance. She would have fallen if two hands didn't dart out to grab her.

"Alright, Nara-sama, Nomaka-san." An Uchiha in his thirties with the Police Force badge on his shoulder steadied her as his younger partner helped Mayu up.

Once they were standing, they took a look at the stern officers in front of them, then looked at each other and immediately burst into laughter. Behind them, hiding in the shadows of a dumpster, Anzu joined in, making the officers tense. Well, it  _was_ a little disorienting to hear that laugh for the first time.

The older Uchiha - what was his name? - pinched his nose and sighed. "Mayu-san, you know better than to drink in public. What do you think your shishou will have to say about this?"

"And what, officer-san..." Yoshino took a swig from her bottle, "what makes you think we're drunk?" She asked in obvious affront.

"Well..." the younger Uchiha said, and gave a meaningful look at the bottle in Yoshino's hand, which she immediately handed to Mayu, who also took a large drink.

Yoshino drew herself up to full height. "I'll have you know that you're accusing the wife of Konoha's jerk of a jonin commander!"

"Yeah!" Mayu agreed, holding the sake bottle up in the air belligerently. "And the ward of the jounin commander! And the apprentice of your boss-man!"

The young Uchiha scowled and opened his mouth to argue, but his older partner grabbed his arm in a tight grip. "What..." He went silent when he saw the stress on the now-white-faced officer, whose eyes were latched onto the sake bottle, where he could now clearly see the label bearing a roaring wildcat on the front.

"Don't. Don't fight with them, Akihiro. Do whatever you have to do to keep them calm as long as they aren't killing anyone or causing property damage. I'm going to get some backup. We'll need it," he said grimly, and immediately flared his chakra. A moment later, three ANBU appeared beside them.

The younger officer, now identified as Akihiro, looked around in confusion. "What...what are you talking about?" He asked.

"That's an order Akihiro! Do not, under any circumstances, upset them." He turned his attention to the ANBU.

"Yeah," Yoshino said, smug. "You shouldn't upset such strong kunoichi. Come along, Mayu. It's time to make our debut."

"Woooooo!" Mayu yelled, making the ANBU jump in surprise, and turned to stagger after Yoshino, Anzu a silent weaving shadow at her side. "They're not going to know what hit them!" She didn't notice the way the whispering group behind her winced at that proclamation.

A few minutes later the group, now joined by a young and flabbergasted officer of the Military Police Force, burst into The Crooked Kunai. They struck a pose in the entrance, Yoshino and Mayu back to back, arms akimbo and feet splayed awkwardly, and Anzu crouched in front of them, letting out large echoing yowl that had everyone's attention firmly focused on them. No, they didn't practice that before leaving the house, thanks very much.

At this time of night the bar was full of off-duty ninja, who were now in various positions of defense, weapons in hand. The only individual of the group that seemed bothered by the deadly attention of a room full of chunin and jounin was officer Akihiro.

"Alright, losers, be prepared to be amazed by the music genius of Nara Yoshino and Nomaka Mayu, Konoha's Beautiful Poisonous Singing Flowers!"

The heavy atmosphere that had permeated the room slowly moved from 'ready to kill' into 'confused.' The three of them took the lull in conversation as everyone caught up to their 'awesome,' as Yoshino put it, to take turns drinking from the now-almost-empty sake bottle.

"...What the fuck?" Came a voice that sounded suspiciously like Anko's from the crowd.

"Ugh, I told you that name was awful, mom." Mayu mumbled.

"Nonsense! It's very descriptive!" The woman beamed, then turned to poor Officer Akihiro. "You, go find a place to plug this in." She pushed the music machine into his chest, causing him to let out an  _oof_ of air, obviously not expecting how heavy it was from the easy way Yoshino had been swinging it around on the walk.

He drew himself up after recovering. "I am hardly your  _assistant -_ " he began, but faltered as the air around them seemed to darken and Yoshino glared at him harshly.

"Just do it, Akihiro," another voice said from the crowd, one that Mayu would recognize anywhere. A moment later, Kakashi appeared from the crowd, hands in his pockets and slouched over.

"Kashi-sensei!" Mayu exclaimed, and bounded forward to give him an enthusiastic hug. "We're going to amaze Konoha with our performance!" she announced happily as he patted her on the head.

"Maa, Mayu-chan, it seems like you've been drinking a bit tonight, hmm? Are you sure you wouldn't rather wait until tomorrow to, uh, amaze Konoha?" She stepped back from the hug, dejected. Her eyes filled with tears as she stared up at him, lower lip trembling.

"You don't want to hear me sing?" she asked, sounding crushed. A few 'aaaaws' sounded from the crowd. "I got dressed up and everything. I even curled my hair!" His one visible eye widened in alarm as Yoshino's killing intent spiked behind her and Akihiro frantically signalled at him to stop talking, and he lifted his hands in the air.

"Ah, no, you look very nice Mayu-chan. I'm sure your singing will impress everyone. I just wanted to make sure you had the energy for it after drinking so much  _Serval Sake_ ," he said, pointedly looking at the bottle now in Yoshino's hand and then darting to Anzu, who was still singing Stand by Me in a low voice, oblivious to what was happening around him. A gasp went up behind him, and Anko's cackling laugh could be heard over the murmurs sweeping the crowd. "I know that's strong stuff."

Mayu beamed at him. "Don't worry, 'Kashi-sensei! I've got plenty of energy! I can handle my liquor."

He nodded pleasantly, then turned and looked at Akihiro. "Come on, officer, I'll help you set that up. Looks like there's a table in the back corner that'll work." Akihiro caught on immediately, and hurried to follow Kakashi as he meandered to the back of the room, where they devolved into furious whispering.

"Okay," Yoshino clapped her hands and looked around the room, ignoring the by turns apprehensive and gleeful gazes of the ninja, which was...was it slowly filling with more people? Finally, her gaze settled on the large bar that took up a full wall.

"That'll work! Come along, Mayu, Anzu. Our stage awaits." They wobbled over to the bar, and Yoshino elbowed a few patrons aside to make space for them. One of them, a large, scarred shinobi whom Mayu had seen patrolling the walls from time to time, scowled and seemed about to argue, but a small female Nara grabbed his arm, and tugged him back, frantically whispering something in his ear. Mayu caught the words 'inhibitions', 'servals', 'increased strength' and 'aggression' before Yoshino was helping her clamber onto the wet surface.

"Okay," Yoshino said, then guzzled down most of the rest of the sake and handed the bottle to Mayu, gesturing for her to finish it off, which she did.

"Hey!" Anzu slurred from the floor. "I wanted more!"

"Ugh, don't be selfish furball. You can steal this from the elders any old time you want!"

"That's! That's a good point," the cat said thoughtfully, nodding his whiskered head. More choked off laughter from the crowd followed this exchange.

"Okay!" Yoshino said, this time clapping her hands. "Mayu here has written and composed some songs that we, who have studied the teachings of the Hashino, a clan revered for their prowesh in enter-entertain...ment...ness...will now be performing you with!" Yoshino declared. "Akiro-san, is the music machine ready?"

"My name isn't...you know what, never mind. I can't believe I'm doing this. Yes, it's ready."

"Akita-san, thank you!" Mayu beamed in his general direction. "You are truly a great assistant. And very handsome," she said with a nod. "Maybe, since Shika-jerk is probably leaving me for a buxom redhead, you can look me up!"

She heard a familiar choking sound from over by the door, and whipped her head around to see if the person she thought she heard was really there. It turns out drinking more than a bottle of Serval Sake really messed with her ability to sense individual chakra signatures.

Sure enough, Shikamaru had just walked in the door, apparently right on time to hear her pronouncement. With him was an ANBU, the older Uchiha police officer that had caught Yoshino, what seemed to be all of the former Teams 7, 8 and 10 (they had probably been eating a post-training meal together), Team Gai, and Shikaku.

"Mayu, mom, what are you  _doing_?" Shikamaru croaked out.

"I thought that'd be obvious,  _genius,"_ Mayu said with a sniff, before striking a dramatic pose. "Mom and I are following our calling. We're going to  _perform_. Acura! Start track five in forty-five seconds!"

She fumbled with the two headsets, turning them on and handing one to Yoshino, who hadn't even deigned to look in the direction of her husband. They both had them on with fifteen seconds left, and went into their 'starting' position, back to back, with arms crossed over their chests.

"I'm surprised ANBU was able to drag my husband out of his office for something as silly as watching his  _wife_ do the performance of her life," she mumbled to Mayu as they waited for the song to start. Of course, since she had the headset on, everyone in the room heard it anyway. Shikaku groaned and put his head in his hands as a few shinobi snickered. Yoshino only had time to sniff at him before the opening notes hit.

As they had practiced in the library at the Nara house (all afternoon), they began to bop their hips in time with the music, a few patrons jumping at the deep bass notes coming from the deceptively small music box. They spun away from each other as they began singing the lyrics, the bottom of their coats and their hair flaring out in a swirl of purple and magenta.

_I got this feeling on the summer day when you were gone_

_I crashed my cart into the bridge, I watched, I let it burn..._

They turned to face each other before they both did a backflip, spinning in unison when they landed, continuing to sing without missing a beat. For the first few lines, the whole room was locked into silent shock, simply watching as the women spun and shimmied and flipped, broken eventually by a voice yelling "Woah! Fuck yeah!" That Mayu was pretty sure was once again Anko.

_I don't care, I love it!_

The rest of the crowd joined into the cheering, jumping up and down and clapping with the beat. When they got to the last bridge, they slowly shuffled down to opposite sides of the bar. They both reached the end of the bar, and turned to face each other as the beat dropped again, taking a few running steps before using the momentum to kick off into multiple spins, bodies almost vertical to the surface of the bar, the bottoms of their coats flaring dramatically out, feet only touching the surface long enough to kick into another spin, somehow still not missing any of their lines, voices remaining strong. By the time they met back in the middle, the crowd was screaming encouragement.

Laughing breathlessly over her words, Mayu grabbed Yoshino's hands, and they began to spin, feet kicking in tandem, hair ribbons swirling around their heads. As they came upon the last stanza, they released each other's hands, spinning away from each other. When the music stopped, so did they, ribbons and fabric whipping around them as their bodies came to a standstill facing the crowd, right hands resting on a hip, with their left in the air, and heads thrown back.

After a moment Mayu laughed in delight as the crowd whistled and cheered. "We're totally stars! We're famous!"

"Autographs after the show!" Yoshino added as they broke formation to high five.

"Alright," Shikaku's voice, for once not lazy, said from right in front of them. At some point he had moved to the front of the bar, along with the Rookie Nine, who were wearing expressions varying from amused to pained. "You did it, it was very nice. Let's get off the bar and let the patrons get back to their nights," he said, ignoring the disappointed groans coming from behind him.

Yoshino scoffed. "Please, we're just getting started."

Mayu was pretty sure she could hear the sound of his teeth grinding over the noise of the bar around them. "Come on Mayu, honey, let's go home," Shikamaru added. Mayu glared at him and went to answer - what she would have said she wasn't sure, when movement from behind Shikamaru grabbed her attention.

"Fugaku-shishou! Ensui-niisan! You came - are you here to see me sing? Mom and I are really talented, you know," she slurred, giving a serious nod and swaying in place.

"How did they  _not_ fall off the stage?" Sakura whispered furiously in the background, "they can barely stand they're so drunk!"

"Mayu-chan," Fugaku said in a stern voice, "It's time to stop now and go home."

Mayu blinked at him stupidly for a minute, before a pout came over her face. "But! But, the Military Police Force was my inspiration for the next song. Please shishou, just this last one?"

"If you want, you can show me the song tomorrow," Fugaku said, softening his voice. "For now, I think you'll be happier later if you stop."

"You -" Mayu whispered, suddenly furious. "You're always bossing me around!" She yelled, and then burst into tears.

"Now you've done it," Ensui murmured and Fugaku rubbed at his temples. "I told you ordering them around would only backfire while in this state!" Everyone else just looked completely baffled.

Yoshino immediately grabbed Mayu in a hug. "Fugaku, you stuck up jerk! She may be your appr'ntice, but she's my daughter, and I say, she can dance if she wants to!"

Mayu inexplicably stopped crying and instead started giggling for no reason anybody could explain.

"Akisha! Play track 3 in 30 seconds!" Yoshino demanded.

"er...Yoshino-san I don't think Fugaku-sama wants..."

" _Do it,"_ Yoshino snarled, stomping one foot so hard that the bar cracked. Everyone in the bar became very, very still for a moment, and the man behind the bar - wasn't he the owner? - whimpered.

Fugaku pinched the bridge of his nose, the motion being mirrored by...well, just about every one of Mayu's acquaintances, plus the elderly Uchiha officer. "Just do it, Akihiro-san," he said in a defeated tone. He then turned and muttered into Shikaku's ear. Mayu only caught the tail end of his sentence. "...the Hokage?"

"Who's Akihiro?" Yoshino grumbled.

"Should be here soon," Shikaku said in answer to Fugaku's question. Shikamaru slouched over into a full blown Nara pout. Ugh, why did Shikamaru have to look so adorable when he pouted? Shikamaru choked on air again, and Mayu realized she must have said that out loud. Whoops.

Kakashi had sidled up next to Sakura and Sasuke, and flashed Mayu an eye smile and thumbs up. She brightened at that, and stood straight with a firm nod. She could do this, even if  _some_ people were being total wet blankets. "Right, come on mom, let's get ready. Everyone! This is called 'Bad,' and as I told Fugaku-shishou, it is inspired by my time working with the Military Police Force!"

She then quickly unzipped the front of her coat, and struggled out of it so that she was left wearing only tight black pants and a long sleeved shirt in the same color. She pulled her fingerless black gloves from the pockets and pulled them on, then threw the coat to Sasuke, who caught it easily. "Hold that for me, Sasuke, will you?" She called, before turning to face Yoshino, also now all in black and wearing black gloves, the only color in her outfit the magenta ribbons falling in a cascade with her hair down her back. They nodded at each other and turned to face the audience, schooling their faces into seriousness. Shikamaru was holding Yoshino's coat with the most horrified look Mayu had ever seen on his face.

The next three minutes of her life were immediately deleted from her mindcave by Mayu the following morning, but would be fondly remembered and retold by every ninja in the Crooked Kunai that night. Mayu had to admit before she ditched the memories, it was a true tribute to Michael Jackson's iconic music video, even if she was the only one who knew it.

She and Yoshino moonwalked, shuffled, spun, and popped their hips across the bar, holding nothing back. For months afterwards, brave souls would hum or softly sing the lyrics to 'Bad' while passing patrolling police officers, some even going as far as to pop their hips or moonwalk as they passed.

Luckily, Itachi showed up, took one look at was happening, and immediately zipped onto the bar and knocked both women out before they could react. Yoshino could only despair that he hadn't gotten there before she let loose a reverse-wind jutsu 'for effect' that she had drunk-invented that afternoon. The broken bottles of liquor really increased the cost of damages accrued.

"But," Mayu said to Yoshino the next day, "But neither of us can actually sing! We're really, really terrible at it!" Yoshino only groaned into the table in response, and Mayu went about the very complicated task of deleting the mortifying memories from the files in her brain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just. Don't really have an excuse for writing this, except I really wanted drunk!Anzu.
> 
> If you didn't figure it out, Serval Sake has some intense side effects, kinda like Lee's drunken fist :D


	4. Mayu Spills the Beans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What it says on the tin. :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for Scythe195, who gave me the idea, and has been a great support throughout this whole story!
> 
> Just a cute little one-shot that takes place while Mayu is in the hospital in chapter seventeen. If you haven't read it, you should probably do that first. :)

Shikaku adjusted the pile of presents in his arms. It was possible that he had gone overboard in the gift shop. But Mayu...Mayu was  _alive._ The relief and joy that were still moving through him, even four days later, made him a bit sentimental when it came to the girl his family had adopted. Well, more sentimental than usual.

He paused by the door when he heard Mayu's slurred voice. "I mean, Diana never got into this much trouble," she said, and Shikaku frowned.

Who was Diana? The name sounded foreign, with all the wrong vowels being emphasized.

"Well, other than that time she was kidnapped and tortured to death," Mayu continued, and then giggled, though how that was funny Shikaku would never know. "Or! The time that Uncle Sherlock brought her along on a case and they had to scale down the side of a building to escape when it started on fire!"

Shikamaru made a distressed sound. "Okay, we'll need to talk more about that later. But this is a public place, Mayu-chan, you shouldn't bring that up here."

Shikaku raised an eyebrow. If Mayu was investigating another dangerous criminal ring or overpowered evil ninja, he was going to put his foot down. Though in all honesty he wasn't even sure what that looked like with his wayward daughter. She tended to just widen her eyes at him and say she was sorry, then run off and do it again.

"Pfft, like anyone will connect 'Diana Holmes' with 'Mayu remembers memories from a past life,'" she said, somehow sounding snooty even while her words were garbled together.

Shikaku's eyebrow went higher at that. Those painkillers must be stronger than he thought.

"Well they wouldn't have  _before_ you said that," Shikamaru said, sounding the definition of long suffering, and Shikaku fumbled the two stuffed animals, flowers, and soft blanket he was carrying when he realized Shikamaru sounded like he  _believed_ her, that it was simply a fact they both knew about and were now casually discussing.

Shikamaru didn't deny what she had said, but, well...that was impossible, right? Shikaku must have made some sort of noise to give himself away as an eavesdropper, because Shikamaru appeared at the door a moment later, eyes narrowed in suspicion.

They widened when they saw Shikaku standing there holding half the gift store and gaping at nothing. Shikamaru looked up and down the hall before grabbing his arm and tugging him inside, closing the door behind them. Shikaku stared at his daughter, who was clicking the pain medication button over and over with the thumb sticking out of the end of her cast, tongue stuck out to the side in concentration.

Shikamaru sighed, then walked over and gently took it from her. "You capped out like ten clicks ago, Mayu-chan," he said, and she stuck her lip out in an adorable pout.

She then looked up at Shikaku and her eyes widened. She turned to Shikamaru and whispered in a perfectly audible voice, "Shika, I think papa heard us talking about my past life."

Shikamaru sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "There's a good chance, yeah," he said, but Mayu's attention had already turned back to Shikaku.

She squealed when she caught sight of what he was carrying. "Oh, are those for  _me?_ You're the best dad ever. I mean, you're my second one, did you know that? Not like, after the parents that died here when I was a kid. I mean from my memories of my first life. You hug me more, but you both built me workshops, so, you're kind of tied."

Shikaku blinked at her, and she held out the arm with the cast towards the presents. "I want the bunny. It looks so soft!"

Shikaku's feet brought him forward even as his mind was reeling. Shikamaru was studying him from the corner of his eyes but he didn't say anything, instead opting to help him out by grabbing the flowers and putting them on the window sill next to about five other bouquets.

Mayu made happy noises as Shikaku arranged the stuffed rabbit and cat around her, then unfolded the blanket and put it over her.

"Yay," she muttered as she closed her eyes and promptly passed out.

Shikaku stared down at her sleeping face, which was still overly pale and had a large bruise across one cheek. He could barely stand to look at the rest of her, with her casts and sling and bandages. He'd come  _so close_ to losing a child that he still woke up multiple times a night, covered in sweat and wondering if he'd only dreamed that she'd come back to them. He shook his head to banish the thoughts, instead bringing them back to the situation at hand.

Her being reincarnated and somehow retaining her memories actually explained some things, and he found himself contemplating it as a possible truth. He wouldn't go so far as to say she was mature for her age, but she always did have a certain way of looking at things that usually only came from experience...experience that she shouldn't have had at the age of six.

"So," Shikamaru finally said from where he was perched on the edge of Mayu's bed. Shikaku sent him an unimpressed look, and he rubbed the back of his neck.

"I don't suppose you'll just write all that off as the ramblings of somebody on intense painkillers?"

Shikaku scoffed, then reached out and pushed some of her hair out of her face. "It seems a little far fetched," he admitted, and Shikamaru gave a low laugh.

"Yeah, but at the same time, it kind of doesn't." His son was quiet for a few minutes, brow furrowed as he thought something through. When he spoke, he seemed to be picking his words carefully.

"She was afraid that I wouldn't see her in the same way when she told me. That I'd think she was some sort of fake." Shikamaru glanced at him, then back over to Mayu.

Shikaku thought about that. It made a certain kind of sense, but...he'd known Mayu for ten years. He'd lived in the same house, comforted her when she cried, and taken care of her when she was sick. The way she lit up when he entered a room or how she said 'dad' or 'papa' with reverence just couldn't be faked.

He shrugged. "Eh, I figure, Mayu is Mayu. If she has some extra memories floating around, it's just a part of her."

Shikamaru's lips turned up on one side. "Ah. That's what I said. It's almost  _creepily_ similar to what I said..." he trailed off and looked a little disturbed, and Shikaku laughed and clapped his hand on Shikamaru's shoulder.

"What, don't like the idea of taking after your old man?" he teased, and Shikamaru rolled his eyes.

"I guess it's alright," he allowed.

Mayu made a little snorting noise in her sleep that no sane person would think was cute, and Shikaku watched in amusement as Shikamaru's features softened for just a moment before going back to his usual bored expression.

"I think I'll keep the fact that I know to myself," Shikaku said, and Shikamaru pulled his gaze from Mayu back to him.

"Mm. Probably a good idea. I don't think she likes thinking about it very much. It didn't...end well."

Shikaku's eyes narrowed. "Right. Something about kidnapping and torture? And who is this 'Uncle Sherlock' who apparently dragged her along on dangerous missions?" he said in a mild tone that had Shikamaru twitching.

"As far as I can tell? A more intense, less filtered version of Mayu," Shikamaru said.

They both took a moment to let that sink in before giving identical shudders.

"Well," Shikaku finally said, "That's...a terrifying thought."

Shikamaru just gave a firm nod of agreement. "We should...never talk about that again."

"Son, you read my mind," Shikaku said solemnly.

"Dull," Mayu muttered nonsensically in her sleep.


	5. On Favorites

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chiasa and Mayu come to a startling realization.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place two years after Chapter 18 - Mayu is around nineteen/twenty and Chiasa is about five. Enjoy!

"Mayu-nee! Look what I can do!" an excited voice said from the door, and Mayu looked up from where she was working on a report at her desk.

She was tired, having just worked sixteen hours straight in the pursuit of a shinobi who had stolen forbidden scrolls from the Aburame clan. They'd caught him, but he'd been holed up in the sewers of all places. Why was it always the sewers?

"Ah, Chiasa-chan, look at you! Two whole chakra strings," Mayu said. "You really are much smarter than your brothers."

Chiasa beamed, showing off her missing front tooth. "I skipped shuriken throwing practice so I could do this instead," she said with an adorable lisp as she skipped over to the desk, and Mayu pushed away from it so the girl could climb into her lap.

"Better not let your dad hear about that," Mayu said as she pushed a hunk of hair from the girl's eyes. It had come out of its ponytail again. Mikoto would probably get that pained look she wore whenever Chiasa did something particularly unladylike.

"He a'ready lectured at me this morning," Chiasa said, and looked down at her hands. "He found out I didn't do a good job serving tea to Itachi-nii when he came to visit."

Mayu hugged her close at her dejected look.

"Don't worry Chia-chan. That's just how shishou shows people he cares."

Chiasa pulled back and gave her a suspicious look. "That's dumb."

Mayu raised an eyebrow. "Maybe, but it's true. You see how much he lectures me, and everybody is always saying he loves me." Usually they noted this truth with a look of bewilderment, but still. Love was love.

"And he used to  _always_ lecture Sasuke," Mayu continued, voice cheerful. "Like it was his second job or something,"

"And Itachi-nii?"

"Sure, though not as often," Mayu agreed.

"So...the more he lectures you, the more he loves you?"

"Uh..." Mayu said, sensing a trap.

"Wow, he must really, _really_ love you Mayu-nee," Chiasa said thoughtfully, and Mayu twitched.

"He probably loves you the most. Then Sasuke-nii second best and Itachi-nii third best." Chiasa's face crumpled. "But then...that means he loves me the least?"

Mayu's eyes widened. "What? No! That's not - Fugaku-shishou adores you!"

Chiasa sighed and gazed sadly out the door to where Mayu could see Fugaku speaking softly to Mikoto across the bullpen, every inch the Tragic Uchiha™. "It's okay, Mayu-nee," she said, voice wobbly. "Even just a little bit of father's love is enough for me."

Mayu felt a lot how she imagined a beached fish would as her mouth opened and closed but nothing came out.

"Chiasa-chan, come on, we need to get home so I can start dinner!" Mikoto called.

Chiasa sent her one more trembling, brave smile before hopping off her lap and running out of the room, leaving Mayu gaping after her and wondering what, exactly, had just happened.

000

Two days later she was at the Uchiha's house, sitting between Sasuke and Yuhui at the dinner table. Itachi and Hana were across the table, Chiasa picking at her food next to her oldest brother. Fugaku and Mikoto were at either end.

"I heard you had another harrowing foray into the sewers," Sasuke said, sending her an infuriating smirk. "Your job is truly glamorous."

Mayu's eyes narrowed, and Yuhui sighed. "Hmm, not as glamorous as your recent undercover assignment," she said, voice innocent, and Sasuke choked on his rice.

Mayu grinned, ignoring everybody else's questioning looks as she took a happy bite of fish. Sasuke having to pose as a serving girl had won Naruto the 'best story of the week' prize when he'd come over for a Nara family dinner.

"How do you know about that," a red-faced Sasuke hissed.

"I'm an  _Investigator,_ Sasuke, knowing things is what I do," she replied primly.

Sasuke sighed. "Naruto told you, didn't he," he said in a flat voice, and Mayu batted her eyelashes at him.

"A good officer never reveals her sources."

Itachi covered a smile and Hana narrowed her eyes at Sasuke. "What was the assignment?"

Sasuke pinched Mayu when she went to speak, and she made a sound that was reminiscent of a dying goose.

"Sasuke. Mayu. You will not behave like children at the table," Fugaku said mildly, and they both twitched and went back to eating, though Sasuke was still glaring at her.

"I'm done," Chiasa said suddenly, and Mayu looked over to see that she looked close to tears. "May I be excused?"

"Are you feeling okay?" Mikoto asked, and Chiasa just nodded, eyes on her plate.

Fugaku studied her, brow furrowed slightly. "You may," he finally said.

Mayu watched as Chiasa shuffled out of the room, the picture of gloom. Mayu didn't even have to use any deductive reasoning to figure out what the problem was. Great, she'd broken Chiasa.

"She's been acting like that for two days," Mikoto said, chewing on her lower lip.

Mayu hesitated, and then spoke. "You know, Fugaku-shishou, she told me she skipped training last time I saw her."

Sasuke turned slowly in his seat to stare at the side of her head, even as Fugaku turned interested eyes on her.

"I was reading a book about childhood development - just for research purposes, of course - and there's a whole chapter about, um. Children around Chiasa's age hitting a sort of rebellion stage. It's a pushing of boundaries, and apparently it's kind of a. Cry for attention?"

Itachi had joined in the glaring and Hana was giving her a look that said  _I know you're talking bullshit, but I'm willing to let it slide and see where it goes._ Mayu truly believed that Inuzuka were all a gift to the world.

Fugaku frowned and glanced over in the direction his daughter had disappeared to. "Really?" he asked, and drummed his fingers on the table.

"Yep! It's like - they need to know that there's stability. Hey, I know! How about giving her one of your amazing training sessions?" She yelped as Sasuke gave her another vicious pinch.

He and Itachi were both sending Uchiha death glares her way. She thought she might be about ten seconds away from being Amateratsu'd. Training sessions with Fugaku were renowned for being long winded lectures on everything you're terrible at, with a side order of eating dirt over and over again.

"A training session, hm? Perhaps you are right."

Great, now Mikoto was glaring at her, too.

"Oh wow, look at that!" Mayu chirped. "It's time I was going."

"But you've only eaten half your dinner," Fugaku said, voice heavy with disapproval. Huh, maybe Mayu really  _was_ his favorite. She sent Sasuke a smug look, which he returned with a confused one of his own.

"Sorry. Just remembered - practice with Team Kakashi. Dinner was great Mikoto-sama. See you tomorrow Fugaku-shishou!"

Mayu was a kunoichi, she knew all about strategic retreats.

000

The next afternoon she was sitting meekly on a low wall outside of the MPF while Itachi and Sasuke loomed over her.

"Father refused to let us come to the training session he's giving Chiasa," Sasuke said between gritted teeth, and Mayu gulped.

"Right, well, funny story," Mayu said, and laughed nervously as Itachi's eyes narrowed.

Luckily she was saved from certain death when an armful of dirty, squealing Chiasa slammed into her, knocking both of them off the wall. Mayu gasped when she hit the ground flat on her back, trying to pull in air as Chiasa unhelpfully perched on her chest and bounced up and down in excitement. Sasuke and Itachi's faces appeared over the wall, one judging and one blank.

"Mayu-nee! You were right, father  _does_ love me just as much as he loves you! He lectured me for  _two hours straight!"_ she said as Mayu sat up and tried not to wheeze.

"What," Sasuke said, tone flat and disbelieving.

"That's great Chiasa-chan," Mayu replied when she could breath again, and patted the girl's head.

There was a streak of dirt across her cheek and her cloths were a wrinkled, stained mess. It made Mayu think of her training sessions with Fugaku fondly. Maybe he'd make the time to do one with her one morning that week.

Chiasa turned a familiar (from the mirror) self-satisfied look on Itachi and Sasuke, making them both twitch. "Sorry, you'll have to get yelled at  _loads_ more this week before you can say you're the favorite, Sasuke-nii."

"Mayu," Sasuke said after a long moment during which Mayu sat frozen under the gazes of the two brothers. Sweat formed on her brow and her eyes darted around, looking for escape.

"Yes, Sasuke-kun?" she said sweetly, giving into the inevitable.

"Run."

She didn't have to be told twice. Mayu grabbed Chiasa and took off for the Nara compound, the girl's squeals of happy laughter making a smile break out over her own face.

It was nice being the favorites.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just had this little storyline running around in my head for AGES. Mayu and Chiasa both driving all the Uchiha men crazy with their skewed views of "Fugaku Reality" makes me happy. :D
> 
> Also, Mayu & Chiasa as teacher and student...this should be a thing, am I right?


	6. Visiting Hours

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hinata tries to get some answers, and discovers the hardest questions are the most important.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, so this one was heartbreaking to write. 
> 
> This is set almost directly after Chapter 18 of DiS, and is written from Hinata's POV.
> 
> Trigger warning for this chapter: Imprisonment

Hinata nodded to the guards, doing her best to keep her hands steady as she entered the lowest level of Konoha's Long Term Detainment Cells.

It had taken her three weeks to decide she wanted to come, and another two to get permission from Itachi. Now that she was here, she was having second thoughts. What good would seeing him do, other than breaking her heart all over again?

Her steps remained steady as she made her way down the hallway, aware of the gazes of the guards standing at random intervals along the way on her as she passed. She inclined her head at them and kept her hands folded in front of her.

She wasn't wearing her uniform - it hadn't felt right, not when she was here as just herself. Instead she was wearing a light purple kimono-style shirt with a white sash holding it closed over tan leggings. Her weapons had been confiscated on the first level by an Uchiha guard who had given her a sympathetic smile. She supposed it was no secret that she had been close to Shisui.

She could make out a chair sitting about four feet away from and in front of a cell at the end of the hallway. Hinata wondered if it had been the kind Uchiha upstairs that had placed it there for her. It was quiet down there, which wasn't surprising. She knew he was the only prisoner in this wing. She took a calming breath before coming to a stop by the chair. Slowly, she turned and faced the cell.

Shisui looked...tired, but otherwise fine. He wasn't being mistreated, if his pale but healthy skin, brushed hair, and clean white shirt and black pants were any indication.

He was chained, of course - a shackle on each ankle - but they didn't look too tight or as though they were causing him discomfort. His hands were both covered by thick metal gauntlets that were designed to keep him from performing hand signs, but again, they did not look as though they were causing him pain.

Her gaze paused on his face and she had to force herself not to close her eyes. She'd been expecting the bandages over his eyes, of course. They were clean, probably just freshly changed, and he wasn't hunched as though he was hurting. That was good.

Itachi had explained to her that part of Shisui's sentencing was that his eyes would be removed until, or if, he was deemed to no longer be a threat to Konoha. He'd assured her that the procedure had been performed with as little pain caused to Shisui as possible by Tsunade herself.

Still, Hinata had always loved his eyes, and it was like salt in the wound to see him without them. The way they twinkled when he smiled at her, or showed the depth of his sorrows when he thought nobody was looking. After years of studying him surreptitiously, she'd fancied herself an expert in reading the emotions hidden behind them. Now she knew, of course, that she hadn't known anything at all.

His head was tilted to the side, his forehead scrunched in concentration.

"Your footsteps and breathing sound just like hers, but I'm...afraid to hope."

Hinata jolted at the sound of his voice, and was annoyed when her eyes stung with tears. She...had missed him, despite everything. Her breath hitched without her permission, and he stood, chains clanking lightly.

"Hinata?" He whispered. "I smell your shampoo."

Hinata turned on her heel and ran back the way she'd come, no longer caring about the guards or what they might think of her. From the corner of her eye, she saw him lift one of his covered hands towards her, face twisted into an expression of pain.

If only she could believe that what she was seeing was real.

000

She returned the next week, even after spending the days in between insisting to herself that she wouldn't.

Mayu had taken one look at her the day after her visit and pulled her into a sweaty hug that smelled of sawdust. Everybody was working hard on rebuilding the parts of the village that had been destroyed. Another reminder of how blind Hinata had been. What did it say about her that she had been so close to the man who was partially responsible for all that destruction?

Mayu had spent the rest of week doing increasingly ridiculous things to make her laugh. When Itachi came storming into the MPF with white hair and eyebrows, clutching a shampoo bottle in one hand, Hinata had laughed herself sick, unable to stop herself even under the disapproving stares of both Itachi and Fugaku.

"The fruits of date night," Mayu had whispered into her ear before her eyes went wide and innocent as Itachi appeared before their desks. Then, in a louder voice, "Oh no, sempai, what happened?"

Despite her misery after the first visit, here Hinata was again, deep below the MPF. The chair was still in attendance, and she wondered briefly if she wasn't the only one coming to visit him. She stood behind it and rested her hands lightly on the back.

His head was tilted in her direction, and she saw that he looked a little more gaunt than last week. Was he eating enough?

"Hinata," he breathed, and she swallowed.

Her heart was beating rapidly in her chest and her eyes were wet, but she refused to run a second time.

"Shisui," she said, and he shuddered.

"It is you." His voice was rough, his body tense as though he was forcing himself to stay still.

She didn't reply, and they stood in silence. Finally she spoke, voice soft but strong.

"I don't know why, but I had to see you."

"I - I'm glad. I mean, I'm glad you're here."

"Why?" she asked before she could stop herself.

He was silent for a long time, long enough that one of the guards called down to tell her that her time was almost up. Hinata shook her head, disappointment and heartbreak and determination to stop doing this to herself rising up in equal parts.

She'd taken only one step when he finally answered. "Because I love you."

Hinata didn't run that time, but it was a close thing.

000

Mayu forced Shikamaru to paint 'For a good time, call on Uchiha Itachi' on the side of the brand new administration building for their date that week.

"He's still feeling guilty about ANBU, and had just told me he was leaving for a long term mission today. Honestly, it wasn't even hard to convince him."

"Mayu, you're going to get thrown into a cell," Hinata had said between giggles.

"Like they could catch me. Even if they did, it'd be worth it," Mayu said around a bite of rice. "He's the one that made Shikamaru a captain in ANBU. He'd better just hope Shika doesn't get hurt on one of his stupid missions."

Hinata shook her head and took a bite of her own lunch. She wasn't sure why Mayu's pranks were so effective at cheering her up after her awful visits to the Detainment Cells, but she was thankful all the same.

Though she knew, of course, that it wasn't  _just_ for her. Mayu really was exacting revenge against their Hokage. Hinata couldn't help but wonder what an evil version of her friend would look like.

000

Hinata went back for visiting hours two weeks later. She'd missed last week's, as she'd been on a mission. The longer break in between had given her some time to get her thoughts in order, and this time she had come prepared.

Shisui was laying down on his cot when she approached, and he sat up quickly, head tilted as though straining to pick up any noise she made.

Hinata took the list of questions she'd compiled for him and sat down in the chair. At the rustle of fabric and creaking of the old piece of furniture, he visibly relaxed. "I didn't think you were going to come back," he said slowly, as though choosing his words carefully.

"I wasn't sure either," she responded, and he let out a humorless laugh.

"You look like you haven't been eating," she blurted before she could stop herself, but it was true - he'd lost more weight since the last time she had seen him.

His lips pulled up into a shadow of the playful grin he used to give her when he was teasing. "You sound worried."

Hinata's fist clenched, crumpling the list in her hand. "Don't joke about that," she said, surprising herself with how sharp her tone was.

He looked taken aback, and then ashamed, ducking his head. Why did everything about him have to be so familiar and so alien to her at the same time? "I'm sorry. You're right, I haven't been eating well. If it bothers you I can...try to do better."

Hinata closed her eyes. "I didn't think that how I felt had any bearing on your decisions."

Shisui winced. "Hinata I - I know it's not enough, but. But I'm so sorry."

His voice broke on the last word, and she didn't try to stop the tears that overflowed from her eyes. Why was she here? This was torture. She stood, not noticing that the list she'd brought had fluttered to the floor in front of his cell as she fled with as much dignity as she could muster.

Hayao's desk was bolted to the ceiling of his office two days later.

"He slept with Torii again," Mayu said with a shrug. "And then pretended it didn't happen."

They took Torii out dancing that night, and Shikamaru came home from his mission to find them asleep in a pile on his and Mayu's bed at the Hatake compound, covered in glitter and mashed up yakisoba noodles.

000

Shisui spoke first the next time she came to visit him.

It had been three weeks, thanks at first to an open case that had resulted in little to no sleep for anybody on their team for four days. The week after she'd still been bed bound from an injury she sustained while they were subduing the suspects.

He looked better, as though he had started eating and taking care of himself again. She wondered if it was really because his sickly state had upset her. Then she wondered if this was just another game or manipulation on his part.

"Itachi read me the list," he said, and Hinata frowned in confusion before she remembered the list of questions she'd accidentally left behind.

"Oh," she said, a little embarrassed that the Hokage had seen her scribbled out questions.

"I have answers if you'd like to hear them."

Hinata swallowed and thought about bolting again, but decided that she  _did_ want to hear the answers. She deserved that much.

"Okay," she said.

Shisui took a shaky breath. "Alright. First question.  _Why did you pretend to care so much?"_

Hinata winced and stared down at her hands. Shisui had paused, probably to give her a chance to say something, but continued when it became clear she would remain silent. "I didn't pretend. I know I lied, a lot, but I always cared."

Hinata breathed deeply to try and relieve the pressure in her chest.

"Question two.  _Did you think it was funny, to make the naive Hyuuga girl believe that you actually_ \- Itachi said it cut off after that, so I'm not sure if you meant to ask me that one."

Hinata's eyes widened. She'd forgotten about that question, scribbled down in a fit of anger after writing the first one.

"I'll answer it anyway. Nothing about any of it was funny to me. I can't really explain it, but my state of mind was...it was all very foggy. Any clarity I felt...it was always when I was with you. It wasn't funny, it was  _agonizing,_ knowing what you'd think of me if you knew what I really was." His voice was ragged and thick, and when Hinata looked up his lips were twisted and there were suspicious damp spots at the bottom of the bandages over his eyes.

She couldn't bring herself to respond, and after a few seconds, he spoke again. "Question three.  _Why didn't you kill me?_ I already answered that, partially, the second time you came. I won't repeat it, since it seemed to upset you. The other part of that answer is this: because you're one of the few things I've seen that are simply good. To kill you would be the antithesis of what I wanted for this world."

Hinata shook her head, unable to stay silent at that declaration. "I'm a kunoichi, Shisui. I've killed before, you know."

Shisui's lips quirked up. "Perhaps, but you never enjoy it. It's why you became a medic and then joined the MPF. You want to  _protect_ people, not destroy them." Hinata wasn't sure what to make of that, so she ignored her burning cheeks and didn't respond.

"Alright. Question four.  _Why did you warn me about the Akatsuki's plan to attack Konoha?_ That one is complicated. That night...the one where you found out." He paused to clear his throat. "What you said about you just wanting me to be by your side, it made me think.  _Really_ think for the first time in years, not just scheme and plan and...and live in fear. I started to look at what I had become, at the people I had joined, and I didn't like it."

Shisui shook his head. "You made me doubt, just enough that when Obito told me he planned to attack Konoha directly I knew that I couldn't just stand by and let it happen. If you're wondering why I sent it to you, specifically. Well, simply put, I missed you. And I hoped that it would make you see me as something other than a monster, even if only for a moment."

"I never saw you as a monster," Hinata said, voice surprisingly steady.

Shisui took a shaky breath. "I don't deserve it, but thank you."

Hinata clenched her hands into fists and was relieved when a guard told her that her time was up. She stood quickly.

"Hinata." She paused and looked at him.

There was one more question on that list, but she had been hoping he wouldn't address it. "The last question on your list. I don't think it was really for me. That's something...only you can answer."

Hinata, Naruto, and Mayu drew a mustache and eye patch on Itachi's face on the Hokage Monument the next night while Shikamaru played the unwilling look out. Hinata thought, at this point, that she might be letting things get out of hand.

000

Hinata gave herself two weeks to calm down and think before returning to Shisui's cell.

"I brought a book to read," she said as soon as she sat, ignoring the way his shoulders had slumped in relief when he heard her arrive. The book was, she thought, a good way to avoid any actual conversation.

"Oh?" he said, mouth twitching in the way it always did when he thought she'd done something particularly cute.

"Yes. It's an adventure." No romance, she'd made sure of that.

"Well, then. Regale me," he said and leaned back against the wall, chains clanking as he brought his feet up and crossed his legs.

Hinata cleared her throat.  _"Haro had always loved the sea, despite the fact that it killed his parents when he was very young. He would sneak out of his aunt's house early every morning, and..."_

That week there were no pranks, though that could have had something to do with the grunt work Mayu and Hinata had been tasked with. While it was true nobody could proveMayu had been behind the various pranks aimed at Itachi, or that Hinata was involved, it was fairly obvious to anybody who knew them.

So officially they weren't being punished. Unofficially, they were given all of Mayu's least favorite jobs. Hinata secretly thought her punishment was probably having to listen to Mayu complain as they worked.

000

Between reading, they had started to talk about inconsequential things. It felt familiar, as though none of the events after Mayu had almost died had even happened. As though he hadn't betrayed her and the village and his clan.

He praised her when she told him about her placement on the Internal Investigations Unit, and she was pleased at his approval. When she admitted that Mayu could be a bit of a handful as team captain, she imagined he'd be rolling his eyes if he still had them while he said, "Shocking."

Almost ten months after the first time she'd come to see him, Hinata told him about the flowers she was going to plant in her garden that year. In response, Shisui told her a story about the time his mother and their neighbor had gotten into a passive-aggressive contest over their vegetable gardens. It had ended when the neighbor had set loose rabbits in his mother's garden.

Of course, they'd just ended up breeding and destroying the gardens of everyone on the block, as rabbits tend to do. Fugaku had been forced to intervene, and Shisui's mother and her nemesis had spent all their extra time removing rabbits from the neighborhood that fall.

Hinata was still giggling when she left and almost ran straight into Itachi. It was the first time she'd seen anybody except the guards during her visits.

"Hinata-san," he greeted, and she smiled up at him.

Itachi had been the first person to see potential in her as an officer of the Military Police Force, and she would always be grateful for his assistance in obtaining an internship. The time he'd spent training her had led to her feeling vaguely fond of him, as well.

"Itachi-sama," she greeted.

"Did you have a good visit?"

"I did," she said, wondering if she'd done something wrong to garner his attention.

Itachi hummed and turned his head to look down the long hallway, face drawn. "I am curious - did you ever figure out the answer to the fifth question on your list?"

Hinata started. She hadn't forgotten about the list, or that he'd seen it and shared it with Shisui. She had just hoped it would never come up.

She studied his face. He looked sad. "I think," she said, voice low and soothing as she reached out to rest her hand on his arm, "that you'll find my answer to that question is probably very similar to your own."

He stared at her, expression unreadable, until his lips quirked up in a smile. "You are probably right. Have a good evening, Hinata-san."

"Thank you. Enjoy yours as well, Hokage-sama," she said with a little bow, then turned to climb the stairs and retrieve her weapons.

She wondered idly if Mayu would be free that evening to toilet paper the park that Itachi's office window looked out over.

 

**The List**

_1)_ _Why did you pretend to care so much?_

~~_2)_ _Did you think it was funny, to make the naive Hyuuga girl believe that you actually -_~~

_3)_ _Why didn’t you kill me?_

 _4)_ _Why did you warn me about the Akatsuki’s plan to attack Konoha?_

_5) Why do I still love you? _

 


	7. I Like it When You're Crazy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mayu's a little shit, and Shikamaru learns to let go a little.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I just wrote 7K words of porn. I guess I did promise smut to make up for last chapter?
> 
> Takes place a few months before the wedding. :)
> 
> I guess, a warning for light dom/sub undertones? Or maybe for sexy Nara sexiness.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed as he took in the woman in front of him. She was dressed in a crisp blue yukata, and her grey hair was pulled out of her face and held in place with two hairsticks that were probably as deadly as they looked.

Nara Miko was a formidable woman, and he knew he'd only be able to play this game for a little longer before she made a countermove. It had been months since the elders had apologized and asked him to reconsider his decision, after all.

She held Beaker out towards Mayu, who gasped and grabbed the bedraggled cat, holding him close to her chest and cooing at him.

Beaker had disappeared the day of the attack, and after weeks of searching they had come to the conclusion that he'd died during Pein's jutsu. Mayu had been devastated, and Shikamaru had been quietly continuing his search ever since, hoping that the feline had just been terrified by the chaos and run off and then gotten lost.

Beaker made pitiful yowling noises and clung to her, and she burst into tears. Miko twitched at her display of emotion, probably trying her best to pretend like she didn't disapprove of his fiancé's lack of decorum.

"I'm going to bring him inside and feed him," she declared wetly, then ran into the house, which was still in the process of being fixed up.

The Hatake house was a beautiful structure, despite the wear and tear and general disrepair it had fallen into. Shikamaru thought that if he really couldn't live on his family's land, this wasn't a bad second option.

"Where did you find Beaker?" he asked, his voice echoing his suspicions.

Miko sighed. "I didn't kidnap your fiancé's cat just so I could pretend to rescue it later," she said.

Shikamaru narrowed his eyes and she pursed her lips.

"My sister and I were out collecting herbs for the lab and I found him under a log on the other side of the Nara clan lands."

Shikamaru relaxed, deciding she was probably telling the truth. "Thank you for returning her. She means a lot to Mayu. She was a gift to her from her sensei. Hatake Kakashi-san," he said pointedly.

Kakashi hadn't exactly been subtle about just how pissed off he was with the Nara clan, and Miko winced.

"I am sorry," the woman said. "I know last time I said it was as a Nara elder, but now, I'm just saying it as a woman who made a mistake. I let...old prejudices get in the way of reason. It was wrong."

Shikamaru crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back against the gate. "Hmm. I'm sure none of this remorse has anything to do with other members of the clan threatening to file for emancipation before you try and marry their kids off to the highest bidder?"

Miko looked away and folded her hands in front of her. "Well, it isn't making it any easier of a pill to swallow," she admitted cooly.

Shikamaru snorted, then let some of the anger he still felt when he thought about that bullshit meeting show, though he kept his body languid. Miko stiffened, but didn't otherwise react.

"The apology you just gave me was okay. I think you might even mean it. But the one you and Ryo gave me as clan elders was bullshit, and you know it. Especially since I'm not the one you should be apologizing to." He stood up from his slouch and turned to go inside.

"If you're so angry, why haven't you applied for emancipation from the clan? I know you're close enough to Uchiha-sama that he'd do it despite the backlog of paperwork."

Shikamaru gritted his teeth and turned slowly back towards her, pulling at the shadows on his face so that they darkened. "Not all of us try and use our power in selfish ways, Nara-sama. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some work to finish on _my house,"_ he said pointedly.

Her brows furrowed in frustration, but she just inclined her head. "Have a good day, _Nara-_ san."

Ah, he wasn't the only one who could throw around pointed barbs. He ignored her parting words, keeping his gait loose and relaxed until he was around the other side of the house, hidden on one side by the peeling wall and on the other by a group of trees.

"Fucking bitch," he grumbled, picking up a rake and attacking the leaves on the ground.

"That was pretty sexy," Mayu's low voice said a few minutes later as she wrapped her arms around him and plastered herself to his back.

He stopped raking, taking a moment to breath deeply. He had that familiar iciness in his veins, and he always tried to keep Mayu far away from him when he was feeling this way. Like he just wanted to kill or fuck or scream.

"Beaker okay?" he grunted out.

"Yeah," she said, voice wobbly with emotion. "He ate and then fell asleep in the sun in the kitchen."

He hummed, then yelped when she snuck a hand into his pants and groped him.

"That was really, _really_ sexy," she said, and pressed her breasts against his back.

He was already hardening in her hand, and he wanted to toss his rake, then turn around and push her down onto the ground and just _take._ Fuck, he had to get control of himself. Accidentally hurting Mayu because he had temper issues after becoming a notorious assassin was not an option.

"Shika," she breathed into his neck, and pumped her hand up and down his shaft. "Please. I'm so turned on." she nibbled on the side of his neck and his control snapped.

The next thing he knew he had her pressed against the wall of the house and was tugging her pants down. His blood was roaring in his ears but he could still make out the small, pleased noises she was making while she pushed back against him.

He forced his hands to gentle as he tugged her pants and underwear over her hips and nuzzled her hair. His erection was straining against his pants and he quickly undid them with one hand while he ran two fingers over her entrance with the other.

She hadn't been lying about being turned on - she was already wet enough that his fingers were coated after one quick pass. She moaned and lifted her hips, and he fumbled to pull himself free and line himself up. He pushed into her in one long motion, and she gasped and scrabbled at the wall.

"Fuck, you're so tight," he said, leaning forward to pant into her neck as he went lightheaded. "Does it hurt? Should I -"

"No, it's good. It's so good. Please, Shikamaru, please, move. I want you to do it _hard_ -"

He pulled out and then pushed forward, somehow still holding himself back from just pounding into her. He forced his fingers to relax their grip on her hips - at this rate he'd leave bruises if he wasn't careful - and set a fast pace.

It wasn't exactly what he wanted to do. Anger and adrenaline and lust were all rushing through him, and part of him was screaming to just push her down into the ground and fuck her until she couldn't even remember her own name. This was _Mayu,_ though, and he had to treat her like she deserved, and not let the darker parts of himself touch her.

Still, it was difficult to keep himself in check while she moaned and pushed back against him and gasped out his name. It didn't take long for his orgasm to build - he was too worked up to last - so he reached around her and started rubbing her without finesse.

He still came before her, but she reached down and pushed his palm against her, riding his hand until she followed him over the edge. He pulled out, still breathing hard, and she fumbled to pull her pants up. When she turned around her lower lip was sticking out, and he frowned.

"Are you okay?" he said, voice rough but head feeling a little clearer than it had a few minutes ago.

"Yeah," she said. "It's just...you were holding back."

He blinked at her. "Well," he said, off balance, because was she saying she wanted him to treat her like some sort of...well he wasn't sure what the right word for it was, really. Outlet for his screwed up temper?

"I mean...I know that sometimes you don't come home right after a mission."

Mayu was looking down, and Shikamaru blinked rapidly as he tried to catch up to the change in atmosphere, fumbling to put himself back into his pants and button them.

She was still talking, and her voice had gone suspiciously shaky. "I know I'm a handful, and when you're upset you probably don't want to be around me, but, I can -"

"Fuck, no," he said, and tugged her against him, holding her close.

Mayu needed a lot of reassurance about their relationship lately, another thing to be pissed off at the elders about. He should have known she'd figure out that he was taking some time before coming home after missions and assume it had something to do with _her._

"That's not it," he said into her hair. "I'm not always in a great place after a mission. I don't want to...take things too far."

Mayu leaned back and stared up at him, cocking her head to the side, eyes darting over his face and then widening.

"Ooooh, you mean sex," she said, and he sighed.

"Well, yeah, since it's usually the first thing we do when I walk in the door," he said, voice wry.

"So just now, you were holding back because you didn't want hurt me?"

Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck. "Not exactly. I'm more worried that I won't be...sensitive to your needs. And, yeah, I guess I'm worried I'd be a little too rough."

He wasn't sure why he was surprised when her eyes glazed and her cheeks reddened. She licked her lips and leaned against him.

"But, what if I _want_ you to be a little rough with me?" she said, and he swallowed.

"Mayu..."

"I mean, I don't want you to hit me or anything. Maybe just toss me around and really, you know... _use_ me."

She was pushing further against him and her pupils were dilated. Shikamaru took a deep breath and stepped back before he let her talk him into something stupid.

"Mayu, I don't want to hurt you or scare you or make you feel like you can't trust me," he said seriously, and pressed his lips together in annoyance when she rolled her eyes.

"Shikamaru, I think we both know that I could kick your ass just fine if I needed to," she said, and lifted her nose into the air.

No, actually he _didn't_ know that, but if he said that out loud she'd probably have to prove it to him and he really didn't want to do an all out spar against his fiancé. So he stayed quiet while she continued on in her most know-it-all voice.

"Besides, that's what a safeword is for. I'm thinking...parakeet. I mean, that seems like it wouldn't come up naturally in sexy-conversation, right? Oooh, maybe you could use your shadows to, you know, hold me down. I'd be okay with a _tiny_ bit of choking, but not enough to actually cut off my air -"

"Mayu, we are not having this conversation," he said between gritted teeth, deciding he had to stop her before she got too invested in her newest crazy idea.

She slumped. "Why? Shikamaru, I _like_ it when you're all 'Deadly Nara,' and I'd be really, really interested in you just having your way with -"

"No." he said, even as his heartbeat quickened at the thought of actually doing the things she was talking about.

She was his future wife, he shouldn't _want_ to hold her down and - god, do the things she was talking about. What kind of husband did that?

She deflated and looked down at the ground, recognizing when a subject was closed.

"Right, well. I told Akinobu-sensei I'd help him at the shop. He's making furniture for people who lost their houses in the attack. Kiba volunteered too because he's still trying to win Rika-sempai's heart - good luck with that, right?"

Her voice was bubbly, but he knew her well enough to recognize when her feelings were hurt. She was backing up, talking about taking a shower so that Kiba didn't give her a hard time about smelling like all she ever did was have sex.

"Mayu -" she smoothly evaded his hand when he reached for her, calling out a goodbye before darting around the corner.

He sighed and picked up the rake.

"Way to go, Shikamaru," he grumbled, and went back to taking his frustration out on leaves.

000

Shikamaru glanced over at Genma, who was lounging in the tree next to him. They were on a wetwork mission, one that required two people. Shikamaru had been working with the man a lot the last year and a half, and they'd built a bit of a rapport. Was it enough of one to ask for advice on this particular subject, though?

Shikamaru was...stressed. Mayu had made it her mission to 'subtly' seduce him every time he was in a less-than-stellar mood in an attempt to get him to 'let go.' He couldn't stub his toe without her appearing before him, staring up at him and biting her lips and calling him _Shika_ in that tone that always just got to him.

He was going to give in, eventually, mostly because a big part of him wanted to. The frustrating thing was that Shikamaru liked the sex that they had now, and wasn't sure why the hell there was a part of him that thought taking it where Mayu had suggested was a good idea.

"Mayu asked me to hold her down and choke her while we have sex," Shikamaru blurted, and Genma sputtered around the drink of water he'd just taken.

"What the hell, kid?" he said as Shikamaru's cheeks turned a bright red. He had not planned on just coming out and saying it.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "Just forget I said anything."

Genma studied him before sighing and looking up at the canopy. "God, didn't that uncle of yours teach you anything useful?"

Shikamaru wished for an enemy, any enemy, to attack them and save him from this conversation. Why had he decided to ask Genma of all people about this? Well, okay, it was because the man was a notorious playboy with a reputation for making it good for his lovers, but still.

"Is that something you're interested in?" Genma finally asked, blunt as always, and Shikamaru looked over at him.

He shrugged. "I - sometimes. After a mission, or when I'm stressed. Yeah, maybe." He clenched a fist.

"And you think it makes you some kinda asshole," Genma said, and Shikamaru nodded.

"I love her. I would never hurt her, the thought of it makes me -"

Genma grumbled something about stupid traditional clans not teaching their children the important stuff, and set his bottle down.

"Listen, sex isn't black and white, alright? If you're both consenting adults, and you both enjoy it, then it's not bad. It's natural. I've got a few lovers who like it rough if they're in the proper mood.

"Seriously. You're not an abuser in the making because it turns you on when your hot girlfriend wants you to dominate her."

Something in Shikamaru's chest loosened even as he glared at the other man for the hot girlfriend comment. Genma rolled his eyes and tossed Shikamaru a ration bar.

"Please, just because she's too young and, frankly, too crazy for me doesn't mean I don't have eyes. Now. Any other horribly awkward questions for your older, wiser partner in assassination? No? Good."

000

It was Ino's nineteenth birthday party, and Shikamaru knew he didn't have time to wind down from his mission before he needed to make an appearance. There was an itchiness under his skin and a low-level fury when he remembered the reason behind why killing their targets had actually been a satisfying experience.

He took a deep breath and headed to Kakashi's house, and then was immediately pissed off that he was still referring to it as somebody else's house when it was supposed to be his. It just still didn't feel like home, not like the Nara land did.

He knew Mayu wouldn't be there - Ino had requested that all of her female friends get ready to go out dancing at her house beforehand. In their ongoing attempt to get along for Shikamaru's sake, Ino had invited Mayu and she'd agreed. So at least he could try to wind down while he showered and dressed.

The shower helped, and he couldn't help but roll his eyes when he saw an outfit laid out on the bed with a note on it.

_Ino says you should wear this. See you soon!_

_Love,_

_Mayu_

Shikamaru sighed, but pulled on the black pants that were a little tighter than what he'd usually wear and the dark green long sleeved shirt that clung to his shoulders and waist. He pulled his hair back and lined his eyes in black before heading towards the bar he knew Ino preferred when she wanted to go dancing.

When he entered it was already crowded, base heavy and vibrating in his bones. There were a group of men and women on the dance floor, grinding against each other, and he weaved his way through the groups standing around chatting to get to the bar, keeping an eye out for anybody he knew.

By the time he got a beer all of the calm he'd found before coming was gone. He was irritated and feeling hemmed in, and he made his way to a stretch of unoccupied wall and leaned against it, lifting one foot to rest the sole of his shoe against the baseboard.

His eyes scanned the dancers, and there - a flash of blonde. He focused on it, and after a shift in the crowd, he could see Ino, hands in the air and moving her hips with the beat.

She was wearing a short black skirt and a tight purple halter top. Her hair was up and her makeup was more dramatic than usual. Sakura was next to her in a sequined green dress that dipped low in the front with a hem that ended a few inches above her knees.

Hinata was there, too, in a much more conservative black dress with long sleeves, though it seemed to be missing its back, which was the equivalent of the Hyuuga yelling 'fuck it! I'm gonna _embrace_ my sexuality!'

He snorted as he thought about how much cajoling Mayu and Ino had probably had to do to get her into it. His gaze flitted over the other women in the group - probably people Ino worked with in intelligence - trying to spot Mayu. His gaze almost passed her by, and when his mind caught up with what he was seeing he fumbled his beer.

Mayu was wearing a sleeveless black dress that hugged her generous curves all the way to her hips. The skirt flared out and ended a little above mid-thigh. The hem swirled and flipped as she moved, coming tantalizingly close to revealing what panties she might be wearing beneath.

Her breasts were pushed up by the tight material, revealing a large enough amount of cleavage that Shikamaru both wanted to bury his face in it and punch every other guy in the place simply for having the chance to look.

The best (worst?) part were the sheer black thigh-high stockings covering her legs, the lace tops being revealed with every swish and flip of her skirt. She was wearing strappy heels that made her already long legs look longer, and Shikamaru was fighting to keep himself from getting a boner in the ridiculously tight pants Ino had decided to torture him with.

Her hair was down and curled, parted to one side and looking artfully tousled. Her eyeliner was black instead of the usual green, smudged just enough to add to the 'just fucked' look she was apparently going for. Her lips were a deep red, and he spent a long few seconds imagining them wrapped around his dick.

Then he decided he was going to _kill_ Ino when he saw the glances that the men and women around them were sending the group of women. Every once in awhile one of them would move in to try and dance more closely to Mayu. Shikamaru would narrow his eyes and lean forward, but every time she'd dance out of the way, grabbing onto Hinata's or Sakura's hands and pulling them into some goofy move.

After awhile she glanced up and met his eyes. She paused and her lips parted in surprise. He braced himself, ready for her to dash over and throw herself at him the way she usually did when he got back from a mission. He was more than ready to have his hands on her.

Instead, she tilted her head to the side and studied him, eyes moving up and down him appreciatively. Then her face turned into a familiar, sly expression that had him looking forward to and dreading whatever was about to happen in equal measure.

She bit her lip and started to dance again, though this time she was swinging her hips with more intent than she had been. She ran her hands up her body, and her skirt caught on her ring for a moment, causing it to lift and reveal most of one creamy thigh before it fell.

He tightened his hold on his beer and gave up trying to pretend he wasn't half hard, letting his gaze wander over her. His body was coiled with tension, an energy similar to what he felt on a mission moving through him, sharpening his focus even as he relaxed back against the wall and took a drink of his beer.

She spun to face Hinata and he took in the curve of her lower back and the swell of her ass with appreciation. He wasn't the only one. A tall blonde man - shinobi, by the way he moved - danced up to her and put a hand on her waist. Shikamaru waited for her to blow him off, but instead she turned around and _smiled up at him._

The man moved closer and Shikamaru gaped when she let him put his other hand on her as well. They both started to move their hips to the beat. Even though Mayu kept it fairly innocent, Shikamaru had to breath deeply to keep from flashing over there and punching a random guy for a really stupid reason.

Yeah, he was still a little tense from his mission. Mayu kept sending him challenging looks as she danced. Shikamaru gritted his teeth and decided he wasn't going to participate in whatever ill-fated game she was playing.

Her eyes narrowed at him when he remained firmly in place and simply glared at the dance floor. When the blonde shinobi inched closer to her, she smiled sweetly at him and rested her hands lightly on his shoulders, though there was still plenty of space between them.

The song changed to something slower, the base rolling through the bar in long, vibrating booms. Mayu glanced over at him as the man she was dancing with scooted even closer. She didn't move back, but discomfort crossed her face before being replaced by a familiar stubborn expression.

Shikamaru straightened and dropped his beer where he was standing, ignoring the way it tipped over on the floor and started dumping its contents everywhere. If she was going to keep pushing despite her discomfort just to get a rise out of him, he was going to put a stop to it right now. He stalked across the room, people moving out of his way when they caught sight of his expression.

Shikamaru let his eyes travel up her legs as he approached, pausing at the tops of her thigh highs before he sidled up behind her. He wrapped an arm around her ribcage and pulled her body against his. The shinobi she had been dancing with opened his mouth to protest.

He met Shikamaru's eyes and his mouth clicked shut. He glanced down at Mayu, who had collapsed back against him and lifted her arm to loop around his neck. Shikamaru followed his gaze and didn't even try to hide his cocky expression when he saw she was staring up at him, eyes wide and adoring and lips parted.

The shinobi raised his hands in surrender and stepped away, melting into the crowd. Shikamaru ran his hands down her sides until they reached her still-swaying hips and pulled them against his own. She arched back against him and he studied the long line of her neck and her breasts.

He lowered his head so that his lips brushed her ear, and she shivered. "What were you doing, hmm?"

His hands tightened when she wriggled against his erection, and his hips started swaying with hers of their own accord, chasing the shivers of pleasure it sent up and down his spine whenever they touched.

"Trying to get your attention," she said back, breathless. "Did it work?"

He made a deep, annoyed noise in the back of his throat. "That wasn't very nice, Mayu," he said.

She turned in his arms and leaned close to him, guiding his head down with her hands on the back of his neck until their lips brushed. She then ran her mouth along his jawline and to his ear.

"Maybe you should punish me," she whispered.

He caught one glimpse of her self-satisfied expression when she pulled back before he was slamming his lips against hers. She gasped and he pushed his tongue inside her mouth. One hand pulled her flush against him at the small of her back and the other tangled in her hair.

He kissed her thoroughly, running his tongue along the ridges of her teeth and nipping at her lips before he broke away. He groaned at the sight of her even-more-tousled hair and smeared lipstick. She was breathing through parted lips and looking dazed.

"We're leaving," he said, voice clipped and impatient.

"Okay," she said, and when he grabbed her hand and started leading her through the crowd she followed him willingly.

He found the exit and sped up, hoping that the dim lighting and crush of people hid the erection pressing against his pants. It was bordering on painful, and frustration and desire were making him jittery. He couldn't get the image of those red lips wrapped around him out of his mind.

He ignored the amused look that the bouncer at the door sent them as they slammed out of the bar. The cool air didn't do much to clear his head, and his steps quickened. He kept his hand wrapped around Mayu's and focused on the sound of her heels clicking on the concrete behind him.

Once they were away from the Friday night crowds he stopped and turned to face her. Heat coiled in his stomach when she immediately plastered herself against him. Her hands fisted in the thin fabric of his shirt at his sides and he tugged her closer and kissed her again.

His hand ran down her side and around to cup her ass and pull her hips against his, and he made a low noise in the back of his throat that had her shivering against his chest. He moved his hand further down and slipped it under the hem of her skirt so his fingers could play along the edge of her stockings.

She moaned and arched against him, and he realized distantly that unless they wanted to get arrested for public indecency he had to get them out of there. He turned his head to the side and took a deep breath, lifting his hand from her thigh.

"Hold on to me," he said, voice husky.

She stared up at him, face blank, dark eyes uncomprehending. Satisfaction at the state he'd put her in had a slow smile growing across his face, and she swayed towards him. Her hands slid up his chest and wrapped around his neck and she strained upwards, head back and lips parted.

He leaned down and she stopped breathing, eyes closing as she waited for him to kiss her. Instead, he made a hand sign and air moved past them as he performed a shushin. They landed at the end of the street, and she stumbled before he steadied her.

"Hold on," he repeated, and did it again.

It took three more before they were in front of the Hatake compound. The street was dark and empty and Mayu was blinking rapidly, trying to catch her breath.

Shikamaru put two hands under her thighs and lifted until her legs wrapped around his waist, then fumbled with the latch of the gate until it opened. She leaned down to nibble on his neck and he grunted, rushing up the steps and reaching for the doorknob.

The door slammed shut behind them, and she pulled back to kiss him again, seeming to come out of her daze. Shikamaru pulled her hips down and against his own, making them both moan, then stumbled down the hallway.

As soon as they entered their room he pushed at her until she made a noise of annoyance but unwrapped her legs from his waist, sliding down his body.

"Did you mean it?" he asked before putting his lips on the column of her throat and sucking the soft skin between his teeth, working it gently.

She gasped. "Mean - mean what?"

"Do you want me to punish you?" he said, pulling back and taking in the red skin he'd left behind with satisfaction.

She stilled, and her eyes went to his, wide and wary. "Yes," she breathed.

He took a shuddering breath. "Alright. You'll tell me to stop if you don't like it?"

Mayu smiled and tilted her head to the side, the sweetness of the action at odds with her disheveled appearance.

"I will. But," she leaned forward and bit her lip, and he decided that she looked like an advertisement for sex when her eyes went half lidded like that, "I want you to," she whispered.

Shikamaru swallowed, and the last of his reservations crumbled into dust.

"Get on your knees," he said, voice low and gravely.

Mayu kept her eyes on him as she lowered herself, and he shuddered at the feeling of control it gave him.

"Lock your hands together behind your back." She still didn't break eye contact as she put her hands behind her back, arching her breasts forward until they seemed to be in danger of falling out of her ridiculous dress.

He reached down and undid the buttons on his fly, letting out a breath of relief as the pressure eased. Mayu's eyes moved to watch with interest as he reached inside his boxers and pulled his cock out into the open air.

Her tongue darted out to wet her lips, which were still a bright red despite their making out in the street. He pumped himself a few times, imagined getting himself off and coming on her face while she watched. Tempting, but he had a better plan in mind.

"Open your mouth." She looked back up at him, and he made a low approving noise when her lips parted.

"Good," he said. "You're going to suck me, and when I come, you're going to swallow it."

Her breathing picked up and he watched her breasts, still straining against the fabric of her dress, heave with each intake of air. Unable to take it anymore, he pressed forward, holding his dick in one hand to direct it between her parted lips.

She sucked him in eagerly, tongue moving to run up and down his length while he pushed further inside. After the torture of watching her in the club, and the sight of her compliant and needy on her knees, her red lipstick contrasting against his skin, he wasn't going to last long.

Her mouth was wet and warm around him and he resisted pressing further in than she could take. She still hadn't gotten deepthroating down, despite the amount of 'practice' she'd been putting in the past few months. Aware enough to remember that much, he only went in halfway before pulling back.

She clamped her lips around him and added suction as he did so, and he tilted his head back and groaned. "Yeah, baby, just like that. Fuck, you're doing so good."

His next thrust in was a little too enthusiastic and she gagged, though she didn't seem overly upset by it. He retreated immediately, despite her moan, and put the hand not grasping the base of his dick in her hair. He twisted it around his fingers and tugged until she arched backwards further, creating a long curve from her throat to her breasts.

"Shit," he said, and began to move his hips in steady thrusts in and out of her.

She was making small noises of pleasure around him, sucking and moving her tongue whereever she could. Her eyes were watering but she didn't try to stop him, and he was careful not to push hard enough to make her gag again.

It was only a few minutes later that he came down her throat, hunching over her and holding her in place by his grip on her hair. She coughed and her nose wrinkled, but she obediently swallowed instead of spitting it out like she usually did.

He let his softening member slip out from between her lips, then pulled her up and kissed her. The taste of himself on her sent the same itchy, dark need through him that he'd been battling all night, and he decided that he wasn't done with her yet.

He stepped back and dropped his hands to his sides. Mayu made a low whining noise in the back of her throat and leaned towards him, but didn't step forward. Her hands were still laced behind her back, he noticed, and swallowed thickly. So it was like that.

She was trembling, her lips looking almost bruised, lipstick mostly gone. Her hair was a wild tumble of curls around her face, her eyes dark and half-lidded.

"Take off your clothes and get on the bed," he said, and she shuddered.

She unlaced her arms and moved them upwards, grasping the zipper at her back after contorting and twisting her body around. He heard the sound of the metal clasps as she pulled it down, and her dress loosened around her. With a little tug, it fell in a pool at her feet, leaving her in a pair a black panties with a pink bow on the front, her stockings, and her heels.

His eyes focused on her breasts, and he hummed in approval but didn't move to touch her. Her lip stuck out a little but she didn't complain, instead choosing to pull her it back in between her teeth and look up at him through her lashes. He twitched but didn't otherwise react, and she moved over to the bed, sitting on the edge.

She reached down and unbuckled the delicate strap on her right shoe, then pulled it off and tossed it to the side before doing the same with her left. She ran her fingers lightly up her leg, and he fisted his hands to keep himself from reaching out and following their path.

She slipped her thumbs under the lacy top and then slowly peeled the stocking down her leg. He watched the smooth skin she revealed with interest, but still didn't move forward.

Mayu pouted, and he imagined biting down on her lower lip, just hard enough to make her gasp, as she took off her other stocking and then scooted back to recline on the bed. Her underwear were next, and she removed them more quickly than she had the stockings, kicking them off to the side before laying back on the pillows.

His eyes wandered up her body, over shapely legs and the patch of hair between her parted thighs, and the curve of her hips. He lingered on the dip of her waist, and then her breasts, which were just as round and perfect as always. She was watching him, her hands lying palm-up on either side of her head, just waiting.

Mayu was not a compliant or patient person, anybody who knew her for even a short amount of time would agree. Yet here she was, laid out for him, content to let him take the lead. It made something settle and uncurl inside him, and he moved forward to stand beside her.

"You're not going to come until I say you can," he heard himself say, and the skin on her neck and chest flushed.

He brought his hands up and her eyes widened when she saw the familiar hand signs. The shadows around her moved, curling in and twining around her legs and arms.

"Shikamaru," she gasped as they pulled her knees up and apart until she was bared to his gaze. Her arms were stretched above her head and held there, and just like that Shikamaru was fully hard again.

He knew what his shadows felt like as they ran over skin. Like cool water flowing over you until the caster added pressure, and then they were like a vice, inescapable.

He kept the shadows that were holding her in place where they were, and sent more to continue their path up her body, letting them lightly trail across her inner thighs and the dip of her waist. She arched when some wrapped around her breasts, her cheeks turning a pretty red and her eyes unseeing as she became lost in the sensations.

When he sent one to move over her core, she started to thrash, hips thrusting up in an attempt to force more pressure where she wanted it the most. A pool of darkness went to her throat, and he allowed it to squeeze, just a bit, and she immediately stilled her struggles, moving her eyes to his own.

She didn't look upset or scared. What he saw on her face was desire and desperation. He released his shadows and she collapsed against the bed, gasping. She was gorgeous.

"Don't move from that position," he said, surprised at how rough his voice sounded.

He pulled off his shirt, not missing the way her eyes roved over him in appreciation. His shoes were next, and then he peeled himself out of his pants and boxers until he was as naked as she was.

He put one knee on the bed, then the other, and crawled up her body until he was hovering over her left breast, breath ghosting over her nipple. He waited until she made a high-pitched, desperate noise before he took it into his mouth, working it between his teeth lightly. After he was done he pulled back and moved to the other, listening to the keening noises she was making with satisfaction.

He moved to her neck, leaving marks there as she grew more and more desperate, body twitching and arching. She never moved from her position, though, and her submission was making him feel more powerful than taking down high ranked threats ever did. He knew that she'd never trust anybody else to do this to her.

He kissed his way down her body, and without fanfare buried his face between her thighs, sucking and licking at her, pulling back every time he felt her begin to tremble as she reached the edge of orgasm. By the third time he denied her there were tears running from the corners of her eyes and she was begging him in broken off sentences to let her come.

His erection had become almost painful by that point, so he crawled back up her body and took her lips in his own, shoving his tongue into her mouth so that she'd be sure to taste herself there.

"Please," she said when he pulled back. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please just let me - let me -"

"Shh," he whispered, and cupped her cheek in his hand. "I'll take care of you, alright? I'm going to fuck you now, and you can come whenever you're ready, baby."

She nodded frantically, and he entered her. She threw her head back and cried out, and the feeling of her wet walls pressing in around him after he'd spent so long torturing the both of them destroyed the last of his rational thought. He grasped her hips in his hands and pressed down, holding her in place so he could pound into her.

Her fingers were clawing at his back and she was making the most beautiful noises he'd ever heard. Her legs wrapped around his waist and all he could focus on was her smell and the way she took him so well as his hips snapped against hers.

His body was slick with sweat, muscles trembling, but he couldn't stop even if he wanted to. He lost all concept of time, but he knew she orgasmed twice before he finally let out a choked moan and came.

His vision darkened in the corners and he was aware that he was telling her that she was the most perfect thing he'd ever fucking seen, but it didn't feel like he was even connected to his body or voice anymore.

When he came back to awareness he was flopped half on top of her and early morning light was filtering in through the window. The room smelled a lot like sex and faintly of his shampoo. Their legs were tangled together and she was placing small, light kisses on his throat, which her face was buried in.

"Mayu?" his voice came out a little slurred, and she hummed.

He was pleasantly sore and felt floaty and warm and relaxed in a way he hadn't for months. What had even happened last night? Ah, that's right, he went to the club to meet with Mayu and she'd been wearing that ridiculously sexy dress, and then...

He blinked a few times, then frowned and pulled away from her, chest tightening as reality set back in. "Oh god. Did I hurt you? Fuck, baby, I'm so sorry."

She sat up, and his eyes took in her hair, which now looked like she'd been hit by a lightning jutsu, her smeared makeup - shit, hadn't she been crying at one point? - and the six large love bites now peppering her neck. He made a low wounded noise, because she looked _wrecked_.

Mayu frowned and put a hand on his cheek. "Uh, unless you count me coming so hard that I was actually afraid I burst a blood vessel or four, no. I'm not hurt. I'm," her lips turned up into a satisfied smile. "I'm so good right now."

Shikamaru blinked. "But I was -"

"The hottest thing I've ever seen? Yeah," she said, then frowned. "You seemed to like it. Did you not like it? Was it...weird?" She bit her lip, and he gaped at her.

"No. It was. Weird isn't the word I would use."

She leaned against him, expression going coy, and he wrapped an arm around her bare waist.

"You liked it, then?" she asked.

He ran his other hand up her back, lips turning up into a wry smile. "Yeah, you could say that. I just...are you sure I didn't hurt you? I don't think I was completely in control at the end there."

She leaned back and studied his face. "Control is overrated. You didn't hurt me, I promise." she cleared her throat and looked down at the blankets. "Sorry about...the club. I shouldn't have tried to push you, especially, uh, like that. I was just pissed off at you for treating me like I was too stupid to know what I want."

Shikamaru sighed. "I don't think you're too stupid to know what you want. I'm just still getting used to that...part of me. I was worried that I would hurt you, that's all."

Mayu leaned forward and kissed him softly.

"Nah," she said, then ran the tip of her nose up the side of his. "Underneath it all you're still my sweet Shika-kun," she teased, and he sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

Mayu pressed against him and he yelped as he lost his balance and fell back against the sheets. She burrowed into him and he wrapped an arm around her bare shoulders.

"That was really fun and hot, but...I like it when we do it the other way, too," she said, voice soft, and he glanced down, but could only make out the curve of one cheek from where her face was smashed against him.

"I think that's not something I'll be in the mood for very often," he agreed, recognizing that she needed some reassurance that he wouldn't be constantly trying to dominate in her in the bedroom. "But it did...help. With the, uh, craziness," he admitted.

He felt her smile against his chest before she patted his hip over the blanket. "Don't worry, baby. I like it when you're crazy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -fans herself-
> 
> I don't know if I should be ashamed or proud right now. :D


	8. Are You Listening to Me, Shisui?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mayu and Shisui have a (terrifying) conversation just before he's released on parole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place about nine months before Disequilibrium.

The sound of his heart monitor beeping was the only thing to break the stale silence of the room. Shisui’s world was, as it had been for the past three years, dark. The blindness, along with the weight of bandages around his face, had become familiar.

For the first time in all those years, however, he knew the coverings were going to come off. His sight would be returned. His eyes - his cursed eyes - were back in his head. In less than twelve hours, he would see again. Then, he’d be set free from his prison.

He wasn’t happy or excited at the prospect. In fact, he was terrified. Shisui didn’t want to face the clan and village he’d betrayed. Despite living for their visits every week these past years, he didn’t know if he had the courage to look upon the two people he loved best.

Especially her. Hinata was the personification of everything that was good in the world. Kind and gentle, and so forgiving. He knew she’d been waiting for him, even if she hadn’t admitted it to even herself. He also knew he didn’t deserve her. Shame was a constant burn in his heart, something he didn’t think he’d ever stop feeling when it came to Itachi and Hinata.

Footsteps cut through his angst, and he cocked his head to the side. Their tread wasn’t one that he recognized. The steps were light enough that he assumed it was a shinobi or kunoichi approaching.

A light spicy scent accompanied the movement of air as the door opened, and the person paused at the entrance. He could hear them breathing, and for a long few minutes, neither of them spoke.

“Are you here to kill me?” he finally asked.

“Yeah, like I’d risk Hina-chan’s disapproving expression after I killed her criminal boyfriend,” Mayu’s voice grumbled, and the heart monitor’s steady beeps stuttered next to him.

“Hmm, not happy to see me?” she said cheerfully, and he turned his head so that his ear was towards her as the sound of heavy soles slapping against the floor signaled that she was crossing the room.

He knew she was being purposefully loud so that he could track her movements, and was thankful despite knowing that there was little chance that she’d forgiven him. He’d violated her mind and the mind of her beloved master. He’d been responsible for a lot of horrible things that had happened to her and had somebody she cared about kidnapped. Hell, he’d had her kidnapped by a psychopath that had cut off her toe.

No, he doubted forgiveness was in the cards for him. So that begged the question - why was she there? Perhaps Hinata had asked her to come? No, that didn’t sound like something she would do - she’d never ask Mayu to do something that made her uncomfortable.

“Why are you here?” he asked when the chair creaked next to him as she sat.

“Oh. That’s easy. I’m here to give you a shovel talk.”

Shisui should have guessed as much. Boundaries weren’t a thing Mayu tended to respect when she cared about something or someone.

“Yeah, well, you don’t have to worry about that. I have no intention of making Hinata’s life difficult by pursuing her. I - I know she deserves better than that.” _Than me._

Mayu snorted, and he heard her shift. When she spoke next, her voice was closer, and he forced himself not to flinch.

“You seem to be confused about what I’ve come to say. First of all, don’t be an overbearing asshole. The only person that gets to decide what is good for Hinata, is Hinata.”

He opened his mouth to clarify - he knew that, he wasn’t like the chauvinistic elders of his clan - but she just talked over the top of him.

“Secondly, I’d like to know how you feel about her. I know it’s a difficult concept for you to grasp, but _try_ to be honest, hm?”

Shisui felt a flare of annoyance. After almost four years of not seeing her, he’d almost forgotten how infuriating she could be. “You know how I feel,” he said, voice and body stiff.

“I want to hear you say it. You owe me that much, at the very least.” Her voice was calm, but he didn’t miss the small spike of killing intent that had the guard standing outside the door shifting.

Shisui pressed his lips together. She was right. He knew it and she knew it, and he was also aware that this whole conversation would be reported to Itachi by the guards. Making reparations where he could was part of what the Allied Forces would be using to decide when or if he’d ever be taken off of parole.

“I love her more than I’ve ever loved anything in my life, alright?” he snapped.

More shifting, and he could almost picture her leaning back, looking smug. He waited for the inevitable speech on keeping his distance from Mayu’s best friend. Of course, she surprised him, as she was wont to do.

“Great,” she said, voice chipper and bubbly. “That makes this pretty easy, then. You’ve put Hinata through a lot of shit over the past four years, and I’m getting tired of her being sad. So, you’re going to get out of here. Then, you’re going to go to a barber. Have them give you a shave and a nice haircut. Maybe bring along Itachi so they don’t try to accidentally-on-purpose slit your throat.”

The horrible thing was that this was probably sound advice. Anxiety over his imminent release rose in his chest again, but she kept talking, either unaware of what her words had done to him or, more likely, uncaring.

“Then you’re going to go to Yamanaka’s flowers. You’re going to smile politely as Ino glares and most likely says really horrible things to you, that we can both, I'm sure, agree you deserve. She and Hinata are friends, so you’ll do your best to be charming. Then, you’re going to buy a really nice bouquet of flowers. Like, the best they’ve got. I know Itachi-sama is unfreezing the funds on your account, so you’ve got the money.”

Shisui sat as she continued, stunned into silence, listening as this girl who he knew, _knew,_ despised him continued to detail what his first day out would look like. It didn’t even involve bloodshed or requests for him to take a long walk off a short cliff.

“I’ve already picked out your outfit and given it to Itachi, so you won’t need to worry about buying one. Now, after that, you’re going to walk to the Hyuuga compound. You’re going to request to talk to Hinata. They’ll probably escort you inside. You’ll sit through an excruciating conversation with Hiashi-sama -” here, her voice went gleeful, and he realized she probably thought this was a fate far worse than public maiming, “- and possibly Neji-san, too. Don’t underestimate Hinabi-san, either, she is _vicious._ After all that, Hinata will probably be allowed to see you. Now we’re to the important part, so listen closely. Are you listening to me, Shisui?”

Her voice had gone low and stern in a way that made her sound disturbingly like Fugaku, and he was nodding along before he really even realized he was doing it. “Good. You’re going to get down on your knees and _beg her_ to give you a chance. You’re going to tell her how much you love her, and all of the little fantasies you have in your head of the two of you getting married and buying houses and making tiny little Sharingan and Byakugan babies.”

He opened his mouth to protest, then jumped as the sound of her slapping the bedside table echoed throughout the room.

“I’m _not_ _done talking,”_ she snapped.

The door opened, and Shisui just lay there, shocked at how terrifying the little blue-haired girl who used to follow Fugaku around with hearts in her eyes had become while Mayu reassured the guard that she wasn’t going to kill him. Shisui didn’t miss how amused he sounded. When he left, she continued talking.

“We both know she’ll accept your request to court her, since she’s, you know, crazy in love with you. After that, you’re going to be the best boyfriend that Konoha has ever seen. You’re going to take her to nice places and support her career and never yell at her or put her down.”

He stiffened at the implication that he would ever say something cruel to Hinata but knew he didn’t exactly have a moral leg to stand on, so kept quiet.

“After an appropriate length of time, you’ll propose. Then you’ll proceed to be the best _husband_ that Konoha has ever seen. And throughout all of this, you know what you _aren’t_ going to do, Shisui?”

She was leaning forward again, and her voice was soft and deadly and only inches from his ear.

“I can make a few guesses,” he said wryly, and she sat back.

“That’s right. You aren’t going to break one law. Not one _._ You won’t jaywalk, or get drunk in public. You’ll pay all your taxes on time. And you will never, ever, betray this village or Hinata again. Because if you do, Shisui, I’m going to come for you. And I promise you won’t live to see another jail cell.”

Shisui heard the truth in her words. Mayu wasn’t a kage-level fighter like Shisui or Itachi, but she was clever and ruthless, and strong enough that if she came up with a good plan, she could probably take him out. He had no doubt that if he went traitor a second time, his death would be as inevitable as it would be brutal, and she wouldn’t hesitate. Konoha was lucky to have her on its side.

He jumped when she clapped her hands together. “Of course, if this all sounds too difficult for you, there’s a second choice.”

“What, falling on my sword?” he asked, genuinely curious.

She snorted, and he had a feeling she was rolling her eyes. “No. If you don’t want to be in a romantic relationship with Hinata, then you’re going to leave the village and never talk to her again. I know the Allied Forces are willing to let you serve out your parole with them.”

His chest tightened at the thought, and it suddenly felt very difficult to pull air into his lungs.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. And before you convince yourself that it’s the noble thing to do, let me assure you, it’s not. It’s the cowardly thing to do. She’s wasted years of her life waiting for you and visiting your crappy cell once a week whenever she could. If you were going to give her up, you should have done it three years ago.”

Shisui lay back on the bed, reeling as the sound of Mayu standing reached his ears. “Well, that’s all I came to say. I hope you take my advice to heart,” she said in a snooty tone.

Her footsteps were almost to the door when he spoke, voice coming out in a raspy croak. “Mayu-san.” She paused, and he continued in a rush. “I’m sorry. For everything.”

She was silent for a long time. “I don’t think I can ever forgive you. But...I’ll try not to hate you quite so much, for Hinata’s sake.”

Shisui breathed out, then nodded. “That’s more than I deserve.”

“Yeah, well, that seems to be a theme in your life. You want my forgiveness? Show me you deserve it, and make Hinata happy.”

After she left, he sat staring into the darkness for a long time, thinking about their conversation. Did he have the strength to do what she’d asked (demanded)? Did he have the strength not to?

His life, it seemed, was much simpler while he was stuck in prison.


End file.
